A semiconductor memory device has a sense amplifier which is constructed with a level shift circuit having an input which senses the change in a data line from an initial precharged level to a level near the vicinity of the supply voltage level which corresponds to data reading amounts from a memory...http://www.google.com/patents/US4984204?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4984204 - High speed sensor system using a level shift circuit

A semiconductor memory device has a sense amplifier which is constructed with a level shift circuit having an input which senses the change in a data line from an initial precharged level to a level near the vicinity of the supply voltage level which corresponds to data reading amounts from a memory cell during the reading mode of operation of the memory. The level shift circuit, in response to a memory cell reading signals, provides a level shifted output to the input terminal of a differential sense amplifier circuit, the level shifted output being in the vicinity of the operating point of the differential sense amplifier circuit. The level shift circuit includes a current amplifier having an output terminal that is formed with a series connecting node of a current amplifying transistor and a current source.

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Claims(89)

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor memory wherein reading out data information of memory cells is selectively performed through respective data lines and wherein said semiconductor memory has a sense amplifier arrangement coupled between a first supply potential and a second supply potential, comprising:

a precharging switching circuit, coupled to said data lines, being in an ON state for precharging said data lines to a level of about said first supply potential and being in an OFF state during a read mode of operation of said memory;

a level shift circuit having at least one input, selectively coupled to a memory cell during said read mode of operation of said memory and including at least one output for providing an output level; and

a sensing circuit, having at least one input, coupled to said at least one output of said level shift circuit and providing an output signal in accordance with the data information read-out from said selectively coupled memory cell of said semiconductor memory, said sensing circuit being responsible to a level shifted signal from said level shift circuit of a potential level intermediate said first supply potential and said second supply potential.

2. A semiconductor memory having a sense amplifier arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said level shift circuit comprises a source follower-current mirror driver circuit including a pair of source follower-connected MOS driver transistors, responsive to data at respective selected pairs of complementary data lines, the source electrodes of said MOS transistors being coupled to the current paths of a pair of load MOS transistors coupled as a current mirror circuit, said source electrodes providing a level shifted differential signal; and said sensing circuit is a differential sensing circuit having a pair of inputs coupled to said level shift circuit outputs and providing an output signal indicative of said level shifted differential signal.

3. A semiconductor memory having a sense amplifier arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said precharging switching circuit includes means for simultaneously precharging said data lines to substantially said first supply potential prior to said read mode of operation.

4. A semiconductor memory having a sense amplifier arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said memory is a static random access memory (SRAM) which includes a memory array of memory cells arranged as rows and columns, each cell corresponding to an intersection of a row word line and between a pair of complementary data lines, and wherein each pair of complementary data lines is selectively connected to inputs of the source follower-connected MOS driver transistors of said level shift circuit via a respective column transfer gate and a pair of complementary common data lines.

5. A semiconductor memory having a sense amplifier arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said SRAM is a MOS type SRAM.

6. A sense amplifier according to claim 5, wherein each common data line is respectively defined by a multi-level hierarchical common data line branched arrangement, wherein said multi-level arrangement defines said common data line as a switchable multi-path conducting line, each path of said multi-level arrangement corresponding to a selection of a respective data line associated with said SRAM in accordance with selection signals from a decoder.

7. A sense amplifier according to claim 6, wherein in each said multi-level hierarchical common data line branched arrangement, each level above and below another level thereof is related by a numerically increasing or decreasing factor of two (2).

8. A sense amplifier according to claim 7, wherein the highest level of said multi-level arrangement corresponding to a single branch is nearest said sense amplifier or a writing data input circuit of said SRAM and the lowest level corresponding to the largest branch group thereof is nearest the corresponding data lines.

9. A sense amplifier according to claim 8, wherein said decoder is comprised of a plurality of decoding circuits associated with and corresponding in number to the number of said branch groups.

10. A sense amplifier according to claim 9, wherein selective connection of branches in different levels of a respective hierarchical arrangement is via MOSFET transfer switches.

11. A random access memory for writing in and reading out of memory cells data information through corresponding data lines, disposed as pairs of complementary data lines, wherein the read-out of data information is performed by a sense amplifier arrangement coupled between a first supply potential and a second supply potential, comprising:

a precharging switching circuit, coupled too said data lines, being in an ON state for precharging said data to a level of about said first supply potential and being in an OFF state during a read-out sense mode of operation of said memory;

a level shift circuit having inputs respectively coupled to at least one pair of complementary data lines and having outputs for providing level shifted differential signals in accordance with a potential level shift of a value which is intermediate that of the potential difference between said first and second supply potentials; and

a differential sensing circuit, coupled between said first and second supply potentials, having a pair of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit and providing an output level in accordance with the level shifted differential signals, said output level being representative of the data information stored in a selected memory cell of said semiconductor memory.

12. A random access memory according to claim 11, wherein said level shift circuit includes a pair of inputs selectively connected to one of a plurality of pairs of complementary data lines via a corresponding switching circuit and a pair of common complementary data lines, each pair of complementary data lines is associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of switching circuits to thereby provide selectively a connection of a pair of data lines with said pair of common complementary data lines, which in turn provide input signals to said level shift circuit, during a read-out sense mode.

13. A random access memory according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of switching circuits are responsive to respective column control signals in accordance with a column address decoding operation.

14. A random access memory according to claim 13, wherein each one of said switching circuits comprises a pair of complementary MOS transmission gates respectively selectively connecting each data line of an associated pair of complementary data lines to said common data line pair in response to a corresponding column control signal.

15. A random access memory according to claim 14, wherein said precharging switching circuit includes means for concurrently precharging said plurality of complementary pairs of data lines and said common complementary data line pair via said plurality of switching circuits during a precharging mode of operation to said precharge voltage level of about said first supply potential and during a read-out sense mode effecting a connection of said common data line pair only with the complementary data line pair associated with data of a memory cell which is to be read.

17. A random access memory according to claim 16, wherein said level shift circuit comprises a source follower-current mirror MOS driver circuit including at least a first pair of source follower-connected MOS driver transistors, responsive to data at a selected pair of complementary data lines, each one of said MOS driver transistors having a gate connected to a respective one of said complementary common data lines, and a pair of load MOS transistors coupled as a current mirror circuit, wherein the drain of a first one of said pair of load MOS transistors is coupled to the gates of both said load MOS transistors and to the source of one of said first pair of MOS driver transistors, the drain of a second one of said pair of load MOS transistors being coupled to the source of a second one of said first pair of MOS driver transistors, said level shifted differential signals being provided at the source of said MOS driver transistors.

18. A random access memory according to claim 17, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a power MOS switch, each said power MOS switch being activated during said read-out sense mode, said level shift circuit having its current mirror load MOS transistors coupled at their source to said second supply potential through the drain-source path of a power MOS switch associated therewith.

19. A random access memory according to claim 18, wherein said level shift circuit further includes third and fourth load MOSFETs of a complementary channel type to that of said first pair of load MOS transistors, said third load MOSFET having a source and drain respectively connected to the drain and source of the first of said pair MOS driver transistors and said fourth load MOSFET having a source and drain respectively connected to the drain and source of the second of said pair of MOS driver transistors, said third load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the common connection of the source of said second MOS driver transistor with the drain of said fourth load MOSFET and said fourth load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the common connection of the source of said first MOS driver transistor with the drain of said third load MOSFET.

20. A random access memory according to claim 19, wherein said third and fourth load MOSFETs have mutual conductances which are larger than the mutual conductances of said first and second MOS driver transistors thereby magnifying the differential of the level shifted signals during the read-out sense mode.

21. A random access memory according to claim 20, wherein said first and second MOS driver transistors and said first and second load MOS transistors are N-channel conductivity type and said third and fourth load MOSFETs are P-channel conductivity type.

22. A random access memory according to claim 11, wherein said level shift circuit comprises a source follower-current mirror MOS driver circuit including at least a first pair of source follower-connected MOS driver transistors, responsive to data at a selected pair of complementary data lines, each one of said MOS driver transistors having a gate coupled to a respective one of said selected complementary data lines via a respective one of a pair of common data lines, and a pair of load MOS transistors coupled as a current mirror circuit, wherein the drain of a first one of said pair of load MOS transistors is coupled to the gates of both said load MOS transistors and to the source of a first one of said first pair of MOS driver transistors, the drain of a second one of said pair of load MOS transistors being coupled to the source of a second one of said first pair of MOS driver transistors, said level shifted differential signals being provided at the source of said MOS driver transistors.

23. A random access memory according to claim 22, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a power MOS switch, each said power MOS switch being activated during said read-out sense mode, said level shift circuit having its current mirror load MOS transistors coupled at their source to said second supply potential through the drain-source path of a power MOS switch associated therewith.

24. A random access memory according to claim 23, wherein said level shift circuit further includes third and fourth load MOSFETs of a complementary channel type to that of said first pair of driver load MOS transistors, said third load MOSFET having a source and drain respectively connected to the drain and source of the first of said pair MOS driver transistors and said fourth load MOSFET having a source and drain respectively connected to the drain and source of the second of said pair of MOS driver transistors, said third load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the common connection of the source of said second MOS driver transistor with the drain of said fourth load MOSFET and said fourth load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the common connection of the source of said first MOS driver transistor with the drain of said third load MOSFET.

25. A random access memory according to claim 24, wherein said third and fourth load MOSFETs have mutual conductances which are larger than the mutual conductances of said first and second MOS driver transistors thereby magnifying the differential of the level shifted signals during the read-out sense mode.

26. A random access memory according to claim 23, wherein said first and second MOS driver transistors and said first and second load MOS transistors are N-channel conductivity type and said third and fourth load MOSFETs are P-channel conductivity type.

27. A random access memory according to claim 11, wherein said differential sensing circuit includes a complementary MOS differential circuit comprised of first, second, third and fourth driver MOSFETs of a first channel conductivity type and fifth, sixth and seventh MOSFETs of a second, complementary channel conductivity type, said fifth through seventh MOSFETs being arranged as a composite current mirror forming the loads for said differential sensing circuit, wherein said first, second, third and fourth MOSFETs have commonly coupled sources, said first and second MOSFETs have gates commonly forming a first of said pair of inputs, said third and fourth MOSFETs have gates commonly forming a second of said pair of inputs, said first MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said fifth MOSFET, said second MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of each of said third and sixth MOSFETs, said fourth MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said seventh MOSFET, said fifth, sixth and seventh MOSFETs each have a source commonly coupled for receiving said first supply potential and have commonly coupled gates, said sixth MOSFET having its gate coupled to its drain, and wherein first and second, complementary outputs are provided at the drains of said first and fourth MOSFETs, respectively.

28. A random access memory device according to claim 11, wherein said differential sensing circuit is comprised of a first sensing means for detecting a first differential input signal condition thereof and a second sensing means for detecting a second, complementary differential input signal condition thereof, and wherein said first and second sensing means have commonly connected pairs of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit and each one of said first and second sensing means having an output for providing a corresponding output signal therefrom indicative of said differential input signal condition.

29. A random access memory device according to claim 28, wherein said first and second sensing means respectively comprise first and second complementary MOS differential circuits, each one including a pair of driver MOSFETs respectively coupled in series with a corresponding one of a pair of loads between said first supply potential and said second supply potential.

30. A clocked random access memory device (RAM) comprising:

at least one memory array of a multi-bit construction that simultaneously inputs and simultaneously outputs multi-bit storage data through a plurality of inputs and outputs, wherein each memory array of said at least one memory array is comprised of a plurality of word lines, a plurality of pairs of complementary data lines and a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell thereof being coupled with a corresponding word line and a corresponding pair of complementary data lines thereby forming a matrix arrangement of rows and columns of memory cells, said plurality of pairs of complementary data lines thereof being disposed as individual subgroups of complementary data line pairs;

a precharging switching circuit, coupled to each subgroup of complementary data line pairs, being in an ON state for precharging said plurality of pairs of complementary data lines to a level of about a first supply potential and being in an OFF state during a read-out operation mode of said RAM;

a plurality of column switches, wherein each one of said subgroups is controllably coupled through a corresponding column switch to a corresponding pair of writing complementary common data lines during a write operation mode and to a corresponding pair of reading complementary common data lines during said read-out operation mode;

wherein each writing and reading complementary common data line pairs are respectively coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of inputs and outputs through a corresponding inputting and writing amplifier circuit and a corresponding sensing amplifier and output circuit, respectively;

wherein during each occurrence of said read-out and writing operation modes each column switch selectively accesses a pair of complementary data lines to a corresponding reading complementary common data line pair and to a corresponding writing, complementary common data line pair, respectively, in accordance with receiving a corresponding column address; and

wherein each said sensing amplifier, coupled between first and second supply potentials, is comprised of a level shift circuit having inputs coupled to a corresponding pair of reading, complementary common data lines and having outputs for providing level shifted complementary signals, during said read-out operation mode, said inputs being initially precharged prior to said read-out operation mode to a potential level corresponding to the precharge level of said complementary data lines which is effected prior to a read-out mode, and a differential sensing circuit having a pair of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit and providing complementary outputs in accordance with said level shifted complementary signals, wherein said level shifted complementary signals have a potential difference therebetween such that an intermediate level thereof is of about half the difference between said first and second supply potentials.

31. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, wherein said level shift circuit includes at least first and second driver MOSFETs arranged as source followers and which are respectively coupled with first and second load MOSFETs, connected as a current mirror, in series therewith between said first supply potential and said second supply potential.

32. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 31, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a power MOS switch, each said power MOS switch being activated during a read-out operation mode in response to a sense amplifying signal provided by a timing generator included in said memory device, said level shift circuit having its current mirror load MOS transistors coupled at their source to said second supply potential through the drain-source path of a power MOS switch associated therewith.

33. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 32, wherein said level shift circuit further includes third and fourth load MOSFETs of a complementary channel type to that of said first and second load MOSFETs, said third load MOSFET having a source and drain respectively connected to the drain and source of said first driver MOSFET and said fourth load MOSFET having a source and drain respectively connected to the drain and source of said second driver MOSFET, said third load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the common connection of the source of said second driver MOSFET with the drain of said fourth load MOSFET and said fourth load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the common connection of the source of said first driver MOSFET with the drain of said third load MOSFET.

34. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 33, wherein said third and fourth load MOSFETs have mutual conductances which are larger than the mutual conductances of said first and second MOS driver transistors thereby magnifying the differential of the level shifted signals during a sensing operation.

35. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 34, wherein said first and second MOS driver transistors and said first and second load MOSFETs are N-channel conductivity type and said third and fourth load MOSFETs are P-channel conductivity type.

36. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 31, wherein said differential sensing circuit is comprised of a first sensing means for detecting a first differential input signal condition and a second sensing means for detecting a second, complementary differential input signal condition, and wherein said first and second sensing means have commonly connected pairs of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit and each one of said first and second sensing means having an output for providing a corresponding output signal therefrom indicative of said differential input signal condition.

37. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 36, wherein said first and second sensing means respectively comprise first and second complementary MOS differential circuits, each one including a pair of driver MOSFETs respectively coupled in series with a corresponding one of a pair of loads between said first supply potential and said second supply potential.

38. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 37, wherein said first complementary MOS differential circuit includes third and fourth driver MOSFETs of a first channel conductivity type, and third and fourth load MOSFETs of a second, complementary channel conductivity type connected as a current mirror, said third driver MOSFET having a drain coupled to the drain of said third load MOSFET, a source coupled to the source of said fourth driver MOSFET and a gate coupled to a first output of said level shift circuit, said fourth driver MOSFET having a drain coupled to a common connection of the drain and gate of said fourth load MOSFET and gate of said third load MOSFET, said fourth driver MOSFET having a gate coupled to a second one of the pair of outputs of said level shift circuit; and

wherein said second complementary MOS differential circuit includes fifth and sixth driver MOSFETs of said first channel conductivity type, and fifth and sixth load MOSFETs of said second channel conductivity type connected as a current mirror, said fifth driver MOSFET having a drain coupled to a common connection of the drain and gate of said fifth load MOSFET and gate of said sixth load MOSFET, a source coupled to a source of said sixth driver MOSFET and a gate coupled to the first output of said level shift circuit, said sixth driver MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said sixth load MOSFET and a gate coupled to the second output of said level shift circuit,

wherein the outputs of said first and second sensing means are respectively provided from the drain of said third driver MOSFET and the drain of said sixth driver MOSFET.

39. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 38, wherein said level shift circuit and said first and second complementary MOS differential circuits include a driving MOSFET, the driving MOSFETs thereof being activated simultaneously during a read-out operation mode in response to a sense amplifying signal provided by a timing generator included in said memory device thereby coupling to said second supply potential the commonly coupled sources of the respective driver MOSFETs of said level shift circuit and of the driver MOSFETs of said first and second complementary MOS differential circuits.

40. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 39, wherein the driver MOSFETs and load MOSFETs of said level shift circuit are of said first channel conductivity type.

precharging means for precharging the inputs of said level shift circuit and the outputs of said first and second sensing means to a potential level of about said first supply potential prior to initiation of a read-out operation in accordance with a precharging mode effected by a timing generator included in said memory device.

42. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 31, wherein said differential sensing circuit is comprised of third and fourth driver MOSFETs of a first channel conductivity type and a current mirror circuit connected in series therewith between said first supply potential and said second supply potential.

43. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 42, wherein the current mirror circuit of said differential sensing circuit includes third and fourth load MOSFETs of a second, complementary channel conductivity type, said third load MOSFET having a gate coupled to the drain thereof, to the drain of said third driver MOSFET and to the gate of said fourth load MOSFET, said third and fourth load MOSFETs having a source coupled to receive said first supply potential, said third and fourth driver MOSFETs having a source commonly coupled to said second supply potential during a read-out operation, said fourth driver MOSFET having a drain commonly coupled to the drain of said fourth load MOSFET, the drain of said fourth driver MOSFET providing read-out data to an output in accordance with stored data of a selected memory cell effected by an addressed word line of memory cells corresponding to an accessed complementary data line, and said third and fourth driver MOSFETs having gates respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit.

44. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 43, wherein in said level shift circuit said first and second driver MOSFETs and said first and second load MOSFETs are of said first channel conductivity type.

45. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 44, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a power MOS switch, each said power MOS switch being activated during said read-out operation mode in response to a sense amplifying signal provided by a timing generator included in said memory device so that the current mirror load MOS transistors of said level shift circuit become coupled at their source to said second supply potential through the drain-source path of a power MOS switch associated therewith and the commonly coupled sources of said third and fourth driver MOSFETs become coupled to said second supply potential by a power MOS switch associated therewith.

46. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 45, wherein each one of said plurality of word lines is comprised of a main word line associated with an entire row of a memory array and a plurality of subordinate word lines corresponding in number to the number of said subgroups of complementary data lines, said subordinate word lines being respectively coupled to a corresponding main word line and being disposed so as to provide a word line signal to a respective row of a corresponding subordinate memory array which subordinate memory array is defined by the rows and columns associated with a respective subgroup of complementary data lines.

47. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 46, wherein each main word line is coupled to each corresponding subordinate word line thereof via a respective word line driver.

48. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 47, wherein said main word lines and said subordinate word lines are parallelly disposed.

49. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, wherein said precharging switching circuit includes precharging means for concurrently precharging said plurality of complementary pairs of data lines and each said reading complementary pair of common data lines of said memory array to a potential level of about said first supply potential during a precharge operation mode thereof.

51. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, wherein said MOSFET differential sensing circuit includes a complementary MOS differential circuit comprised of first, second, third and fourth driver MOSFETs of a first channel conductivity type and fifth, sixth and seventh MOSFETs of a second, complementary channel conductivity type, said fifth through seventh MOSFETs being arranged as a composite current mirror forming the loads of said differential sensing circuit, wherein said first, second, third and fourth MOSFETs have commonly coupled sources, said first and second MOSFETs have gates commonly forming a first of said pair of inputs, said third and fourth MOSFETs have gates commonly forming a second of said pair of inputs, said first MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said fifth MOSFET, said second MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of each of said third and sixth MOSFETs, said fourth MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said seventh MOSFET, said fifth, sixth and seventh MOSFETs each have a source commonly coupled for receiving said first supply potential and have commonly coupled gates, said sixth MOSFET having its gate coupled to its drain, and wherein first and second, complementary outputs are provided at the drains of said first and fourth MOSFETs, respectively.

52. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 51, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a driving MOSFET, the driving MOSFETs thereof being activated simultaneously during said read-out operation mode in response to a sense amplifier signal provided by a timing generator included in said memory device thereby coupling to said second supply potential the commonly coupled driver MOSFETs of said differential sensing circuit and effecting amplification of the level shift of said level shift circuit.

53. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 52, wherein said at least one memory array includes a pair of memory arrays which are selectively activated for simultaneously reading and writing data through said plurality of inputs and outputs which inputs and outputs are commonly associated to both of said pair of memory arrays, the selective activation of one or the other of said memory arrays being in accordance with receiving an externally applied address signal which corresponds to the address signal of the most significant bit of address signals employed for operating the memory device.

54. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 53, wherein each one of said plurality of word lines is comprised of a main word line associated with an entire row of a memory array and a plurality of subordinate word lines corresponding in number to the number of said subgroups of complementary data lines, said subordinate word lines being respectively coupled to a corresponding main word line and being disposed so as to provide a word line signal to a respective row of a corresponding subordinate memory array which subordinate memory array is defined by the rows and columns associated with a respective subgroup of complementary data lines.

55. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 54, wherein each main word line is coupled to each corresponding subordinate word line thereof via a respective word line driver.

56. A sense amplifier according to claim 55, wherein said main word lines and said subordinate word lines are parallelly disposed.

57. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a driving MOSFET, the driving MOSFETs thereof being activated simultaneously during said read-out operation mode in response to a sense amplifier signal provided by a timing generator included in said memory device thereby coupling to said second supply potential the commonly coupled driver MOSFETs of said differential sensing circuit and effecting amplification of the level shift of said level shift circuit.

58. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, further including switching means corresponding to each sensing amplifier for activating the level shift circuit and differential sensing circuit associated therewith during a read-out operation mode in response to a sense amplifying signal provided in accordance with timing signals generated by a timing generator included in said memory device.

59. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 58, wherein said timing generator is comprised of a logic circuit having feedback control action for timely generating a plurality of timing signals in response to externally applied, chip enable (CE) and read/write (R/W) signals in accordance with receiving an address signal of the most significant bit of address signals employed for operating the memory device, wherein of said plurality of timing signals generated there is included a reading timing signal for controlling the sensing time of operation by each sensing amplifier in said memory array when said memory array is under a selective condition of the read-out mode.

60. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 59, wherein said logic circuit includes means such that said reading timing signal of a first level commences in response to the presence of an address signal of the most significant bit when said CE signal becomes a high level when said R/W signal is already at a high level and wherein said reading timing signal has a pulse width controlled in accordance with the sensing time required by said sensing amplifiers to correspondingly provide complementary outputs in connection with a read-out operation of selected memory cells, each selected memory cell corresponding to a single accessed pair of complementary data lines of each said subgroups of complementary data lines in a memory array under said selective condition of operation.

61. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 60, wherein each one of said sensing amplifiers is provided with means for generating an internal control signal in accordance with a differential sensing circuit associated therewith providing a complementary output signal level condition, said internal control signal being inputted to said timing generator circuit for commencing termination of the read-out operation mode.

62. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 61, further including first logic means for timely providing said sense amplifying signal during a read-out operation mode in response to said reading timing signal being at said first level and said R/W signal being at a high level.

63. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 62, wherein said timing generator further includes means for providing a data line precharging signal for concurrently precharging via a precharging means of said precharging switching circuit said plurality of complementary pairs of data lines and providing a precharging signal for effecting precharging of the reading complementary common data line pair via a common data line precharging means of said precharging switching circuit in response to said reading timing signal being at a second, complementary level.

64. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 63, wherein said differential sensing circuit is comprised of a first sensing means for detecting a first differential input signal condition thereof and a second sensing means for detecting a second, complementary differential input signal condition thereof, and wherein said first and second sensing means have commonly connected pairs of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit and each one of said first and second sensing means having an output for providing a corresponding output signal therefrom indicative of said differential input signal condition.

65. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 64, wherein said first and second sensing means respectively comprise first and second complementary MOS differential circuits, each one including a pair of driver MOSFETs respectively coupled in series with a corresponding one of a pair of loads between said first supply potential and said second supply potential.

66. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 63, wherein said MOSFET differential sensing circuit includes a complementary MOS differential circuit comprised of first, second, third and fourth driver MOSFETs of a first channel conductivity type and fifth, sixth and seventh MOSFETs of a second, complementary channel conductivity type, said fifth through seventh MOSFETs being arranged as a composite current mirror forming the loads for said differential sensing circuit, wherein said first, second, third and fourth MOSFETs have commonly coupled sources, said first and second MOSFETs have gates commonly forming a first of said pair of inputs, said third and fourth MOSFETs have gates commonly forming a second of said pair of inputs, said first MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said fifth MOSFET, said second MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of each of said third and sixth MOSFETs, said fourth MOSFET having a drain coupled to a drain of said seventh MOSFET, said fifth, sixth and seventh MOSFETs each have a source commonly coupled for receiving said first supply potential and have commonly coupled gates, said sixth MOSFET having its gate coupled to its drain, and wherein first and second, complementary outputs are provided at the drains of said first and fourth MOSFETs, respectively.

67. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 63, further including second logic means for providing a control signal to be supplied to said timing generator in response to each and every internal control signal generated by each one of said internal control signal generating means correspondingly associated with a sensing amplifier of a memory array under said selection condition of operation so that termination of the read-out operation mode of the entire memory array does not commence until each and every internal control signal thereof is generated.

68. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 67, wherein said second logic means includes a logic OR gate.

69. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 61, further including logic means for providing a control signal to be supplied to said timing generator in response to each and every internal control signal generated by each one of said internal control signal generating means correspondingly associated with a sensing amplifier of a memory array under said selection condition of operation so that termination of the read-out operation mode of the entire memory array does not commence until each and very internal control signal thereof is generated.

70. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 69, wherein said logic means includes a logic OR gate.

71. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, wherein each one of said plurality of word lines is comprised of a main word line associated with an entire row of a memory array and a plurality of subordinate word lines corresponding in number to the number of said subgroups of complementary data lines, said subordinate word lines being respectively coupled to a corresponding main word line and being disposed so as to provide a work line signal to a respective row of a corresponding subordinate memory array which subordinate memory array is defined by the rows and columns associated with a respective subgroup of complementary data lines.

72. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 71, wherein each main word line is coupled to each corresponding subordinate word line thereof via a respective word line driver.

73. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 72, wherein said main word lines and said subordinate word lines are parallelly disposed.

74. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 30, wherein each reading and each writing common data line is respectively defined by a multi-level hierarchical common data line branched arrangement, wherein said multi-level arrangement defines said common data line as a switchable multi-path conducting line, each path of said multi-level arrangement corresponding to a selection of a respective data line associated with said RAM in accordance with selection signals from a decoder.

75. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 74, wherein in each said multi-level hierarchical common data line branched arrangement, each level above and below another level thereof is related by a numerical increasing or decreasing factor of two (2).

76. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 75, wherein the highest level corresponding to a single branch associated with each of said reading and writing common data lines is nearest said corresponding sensing amplifier and said writing amplifier circuit, respectively, and the lowest level corresponding to the largest branch group thereof is nearest the data lines of a corresponding data line subgroup.

77. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 76, wherein said decoder is comprised of a plurality of decoding circuits associated with and corresponding in number to the number of said branch groups.

78. A clocked random access memory device according to claim 77, wherein selective connection of branches in different levels of a respective hierarchical arrangement is via MOSFET transfer switches.

a memory array wherein there is effecting writing-in and reading-out data of a selected memory cell thereof through a respective input and output of said device independently and asynchronously, and wherein said memory array is comprised of an X-Y arrangement of word lines and pairs of complementary bit lines, and a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell being coupled with a corresponding word line and a corresponding complementary bit line thereby forming an X-Y matrix arrangement of memory cells;

bit line writing selector means for selecting a pair of complementary bit lines in response to a corresponding Y-address writing signal for writing input data in a memory cell accessed by a corresponding word line signal in accordance with an X-address writing signal;

bit line reading selector means for selecting a pair of complementary bit lines in response to a corresponding Y-address reading signal for reading out data from a memory cell accessed by a corresponding word line signal in accordance with an X-address reading signal;

reading and writing complementary common data line pairs being coupled to a data read-out terminal through a sensing amplifier and output circuit and to data write-in terminal through a data writing circuit, respectively;

wherein during implementation of a reading and writing operation said data line reading selector means accesses a pair of complementary bit lines to said reading complementary common data line pair and said data line writing selector means accesses a pair of complementary bit lines to said writing complementary common data line pair, respectively, in accordance with corresponding reading and writing Y-address signals when the RAM is enabled; and

wherein said sensing amplifier, coupled between first and second supply potential, is comprised of a level shift circuit having inputs coupled to a corresponding pair of reading, complementary common data lines and having outputs for providing level shifted complementary signals, during a read-out operation mode, said inputs being initially precharged prior to said read-out operation mode to a potential level of about said first supply potential corresponding to a precharge level of said complementary bit lines which is effected prior to a read-out mode, wherein precharging of said complementary bit lines prior to said read-out mode is effected by a precharging switching circuit, coupled to said complementary bit lines, being in an ON state during a precharging period and being in an OFF state during said read-out operation mode, and a differential sensing circuit having a pair of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of said level shift circuit and providing complementary outputs in accordance with said level shifted complementary signals, said level shifted complementary signals have a potential difference therebetween with an intermediate level of about half the difference between said first and second supply potentials.

80. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 79, wherein each memory cell of said X-Y matrix arrangement is associated with separate pairs of complementary bit lines for the reading and writing operations implemented, respectively, each such pair being coupled to a corresponding one of said bit line writing selector means and said bit line reading selector means.

81. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 80, wherein each memory cell thereof is further associated with separate word lines for effecting the reading and writing operations implemented, respectively, each such word line being driven by a corresponding one of an X-address reading decoding means and an X-address writing decoding means in accordance with an X-address reading signal and an X-address writing signal, respectively.

82. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 81, further including address accordance detecting means for detecting coincidence/non-coincidence of reading and writing X, Y-address signals, whereby implementation of a reading operation by direct access to a memory cell is precluded when it is determined that the same memory cell is being simultaneously accessed for implementation of a writing operation.

83. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 82, wherein during a bit-to-bit detection of a coincidence of reading and writing address signals, the data being inputted is accessed by a transmitting means and is transmitted to said reading pair of complementary common data lines for effecting a read-out thereof in addition to a writing of the data to a selected memory cell accessed for writing-in data.

84. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 83, wherein said level shift circuit includes a least first and second driver MOSFETs arranged as source followers and which are respectively coupled with first and second load MOSFETs, connected as a current mirror, in series therewith between said first supply potential and said second supply potential, said first supply potential corresponding to a potential level of about said precharge potential level.

85. A clocked two-port RAM according to claim 84, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a power MOS switch, each said power MOS switch being activated during a sense operation mode, said level shift circuit having its current mirror load MOS transistors coupled at their source to said second supply potential through the drain-source path of a power MOS switch associated therewith.

86. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 85, wherein said precharging switching circuit includes precharge means for simultaneously precharging said reading complementary bit line pairs and said writing complementary bit line pairs to about said first supply potential prior to effecting a reading and writing operation, respectively.

87. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 79, wherein said level shift circuit includes at least first and second driver MOSFETs arranged as source followers and which are respectively coupled with first and second load MOSFETs, connected as a current mirror, in series therewith between said first supply potential and said second supply potential, said first supply potential corresponding to a potential level of about said precharge potential level.

88. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 87, wherein said level shift circuit and said differential sensing circuit each include a power MOS switch, each said power MOS switch being activated during a sense operation mode, said level shift circuit having its current mirror load MOS transistors coupled at their source to said second supply potential through the drain-source path of a power MOS switch associated therewith.

89. A clocked two-port RAM device according to claim 88, wherein each memory cell of said X-Y matrix arrangement is associated with separate pairs of complementary bit lines for the reading and writing operations implemented, respectively, each such pair being coupled to a corresponding one of said bit line writing selector means and said bit line reading selector means, and wherein said precharging switching circuit includes precharge means for simultaneously precharging said reading complementary bit line pairs and said writing complementary bit line pairs to about said first supply potential prior to effecting a reading and writing operation, respectively.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a sensing amplifier driving system, for example, techniques for providing the reading operation of SRAM (static random access memory) at high speed and low power-consumption, whereby a bit line and a common data line are precharged to a desired level.

In the conventional manner, one bit line of a complementary pair of bit lines is supplied with a power supply voltage, the other bit line is supplied with the ground potential of a circuit; each line is charged, and then the complementary bit lines are short-circuited to precharge both bit lines to the intermediate level by effecting a re-distribution of charges. Such techniques are found in the specifications of U.S. Ser. No. 860411, U.S. Ser. No. 943063, filed Dec. 18, 1986, and U.S. Ser. No. 60334.

However, the above precharging system of bit and common data lines requires two operational steps, that is, the operation to charge the complementary bit lines to the power supply voltage and the ground potential, respectively, and the succeeding operation to short-circuit the complementary bit lines. Moreover, in the precharging period, a waiting time for selection of word lines to write data is necessary so as to prevent writing error data into a memory cell. Therefore, not only is the timing for reading data complex, but there is a limitation of high-speed data read-out because of a longer access time. Such disadvantages are made clear by a careful reading of the present invention and as it relates to the disclosed embodiments.

For more high-speed operation, the specification of co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 148432, filed Jan. 26, 1988, describes another precharging system, where a pair of bit lines are precharged to the power supply voltage, and a pair of common data lines are precharged to the ground potential. In this system, however, the voltage of the common data lines changes from the ground voltage, so it is clear that data is difficult to be read with high speed. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 63-58697 (published on the 14th of March, 1988) describes the system to select a common data line voltage using the voltage divided by resistors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide semiconductor memory having a sensing amplifier and a driver that can perform the data read-out operation at high-speed and low power consumption. More particularly, the object of the invention is to supply a level shift circuit applicable to the sensing amplifier driving system of a semiconductor memory.

Such objects and inventive features will be clear with the description of the specification and the attached drawings.

Outline of the representative embodiments disclosed in the present invention is described as the following.

The semiconductor memory according to the present invention has a level shift circuit that shifts a read-out signal of a memory cell to the level near the operational point of the sensing amplifier so as to supply the signal to the input terminal of the sensing amplifier.

The level shift circuit includes a current amplifier, the output terminal of which is the series connecting node of a current amplifying transistor and a power supply, and in which a change in a voltage of the output terminal depends on the input voltage of the current amplifying transistor. The level shift circuit also includes a power switch that opens a direct-current circuit according to the activation of the sensing amplifier.

Furthermore, the level shift circuit includes a pair of current amplifiers, the output terminal of which is the series connecting node of a current amplifying transistor and a power supply, and which a change in voltage of the output terminal depends on the input voltage of the current amplifying transistor; the output terminal of each current amplifier is connected to a respective transistor load having a different conductivity type from that of the above mentioned current amplifying transistor; and the control terminal of one transistor load is connected to the control terminal and output terminal of the other current amplifier. In this case, current sources included in the above pair of current amplifiers can be constructed with a current mirror circuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the SRAM according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a level shift circuit that can magnify and output complementary changes of an input voltage.

FIG. 4 illustrates the relation between an input and an output of the level shift circuit shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a clocked-static RAM to which the circuit of FIG. 1 is applied.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the timing generation circuit that is used for the clocked-static RAM of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates the timing of the clocked-static RAM shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of another embodiment of the sensor-amplifier of the circuit shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of another embodiment of the sensor-amplifier shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of still another embodiment of the sensing circuit shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the entire 2-port RAM to which the inventive circuit of FIG. 1 is applied.

FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram illustrating the essential part from the read-out to writing system of the 2-port RAM memory cell shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example of an address buffer.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of an address decoder.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a word driver.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of a writing data driver.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of a circuit to detect the address coincidence.

FIG. 18 illustrates timing charts to explain an example of reading and writing operation when the writing address is not conforming to the reading one.

FIG. 19 illustrates timing charts, in which the reading and writing operation is done at the same time.

FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 are circuit diagrams of an example of the memory cell construction, in which the conductive types of MOS transistors are different from each other for each case of constructing the writing or reading transfer gate.

FIG. 22 illustrates another embodiment of the transmitting means in a circuit diagram.

FIG. 23 is a circuit diagram of an example of a memory cell that can be used for a 3-port RAM.

FIG. 24 shows an example of the address-coincidence detecting circuit constructed with the memory cells shown in FIG. 23 in a 3-port RAM.

FIG. 25 shows in circuit diagram another embodiment of the word-line construction shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 11.

FIG. 26 shows in circuit diagram another embodiment of the common data line construction shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 11.

FIG. 27 shows in circuit diagram an embodiment of a bus receiver and a bus driver using signal transmitting system according to the invention.

FIG. 28 illustrates signal waveforms of the embodiments of a bus driver and a bus receiver shown in FIG. 27.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a digital processing means using signal transmission system according to the invention.

FIG. 30 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a digital processing means using signal transmission system according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating an embodiment of a SRAM according to the present invention.

The SRAM shown in the figure formed on a semiconductor substrate by using the known MOS integrated circuit production technology is to be construed as exemplary only rather than limiting the invention thereto.

The SRAM of this embodiment has a memory cell array forming a matrix with a plurality of static memory cells 1. The memory cell 1, although not limited thereto, is constructed with a flip-flop circuit, in which an input terminal and an output terminal of a pair of CMOS (complementary MOS) inverter circuits are cross-coupled to each other, the inverter circuits being constructed with P-channel MOSFETs Q3, Q4 and N-channel MOSFETs Q21, Q22 and is constructed with a pair of N-channel selective or switching MOSFETs Q23, Q24, each having a source electrode connected to a respective output terminal of the above CMOS inverter circuits. The drain electrodes of the selective MOSFETs Q23, Q24 form both data input and output terminals of a memory cell MC, and their gate electrodes form selective terminals of the memory cell MC.

The data input and output terminals of the above memory cells MC are connected with individual pairs of data lines such as representative data line pairs DO, DO˜Dn, Dn shown in FIG. 1 for the respective rows, and the selective terminals of the memory cell 1 are connected with word lines W0˜Wm, respectively, the same word line for each line or row of the matrix. The predetermined one of the word lines W0˜Wm is driven to a selected level corresponding to a row address signal supplied externally, and the driving and control are done by a row address decoder and a word driver not shown in the figure.

One end of the above pair of data lines D0, D0 is commonly connected to a pair of common data lines CD, CD through CMOS transfer gates TG0, TG0' which are constructed with N-channel MOSFETs Q25, Q26 and P-channel MOSFETs Q5, Q6 as column switching circuits. The fact is the same for the data lines Dn, Dn, which are commonly connected to a pair of common data lines CD, CD through transfer gates TGn, TGn'. The CMOS transfer gates TG0, TG0'˜TGn, TGn' selectively control for conduction a predetermined pair of bit lines in accordance with custom address signals supplied externally, on a pair of common data lines CD, CD. To achieve this, column control signals CSW1˜CSWn are generated as switching control signals by a column address decoder.

The other ends of the above pair of data lines D0, D0˜Dn, Dn are connected with drain electrodes of P-channel precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2, the source electrodes of which are supplied with a power supply voltage Vdd. Precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 are switched and controlled by a precharging signal φp0 that is supplied to its gate electrode. A low level of the precharging signal φp0 switches on each precharging MOSFET Q1 or Q2 and when the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 are switched on, they charge the pair of common data lines CD, CD to approximately the power supply voltage level Vdd through the pair of data lines D0, D0˜Dn, Dn and the CMOS transfer gates TG0, TG0'˜TGn, TGn', and therefor decreasing to the same level any potential difference generated on the pair of bit lines and the pair of common data lines CD, CD by the previous memory access.

The pair of common data lines CD, CD are connected with output terminals of a writing and amplifying circuit WA and input terminals of a sensing amplifier SA.

The writing and amplifying circuit WA drives the pair of common data lines CD, CD to predetermined complementary levels according to writing data DI that are supplied from a data input buffer not shown in the figure.

The sensing amplifier SA includes a differential sensing amplifier circuit SC, which amplifies a complementary potential difference, the minute level change being close to the power supply voltage Vdd as a precharging level; and the level change is generated on the pair of common data lines CD, CD by reading data of memory cells. The first stage of the sensing amplifier also includes a level which circuit LS which precedes the sending circuit SC, the former transforming or level shifting the minute level change close to the power supply voltage Vdd, generated on the pair of common data lines CD, CD by reading memory cell data, to a level near the operational point of the circuit SC so as to have the highest sensitivity; the level shift circuit LS provides the level change to the input terminal of the circuit SC.

The above sense amplifier circuit SC which is exemplary only comprises a differential pair of N-channel input MOSFETs Q32, Q33, which are connected with the ground potential Vss through an N-channel power switch MOSFET Q34 as a current source which is connected by its drain electrode to the common source connected ends of Q32, Q33 and at its source electrode to ground. In the sensing circuit SC, each drain electrode of the input MOSFETs Q32, Q33 is connected with drain electrodes of P-channel MOSFETs Q9, Q10 that construct the loads of a current mirror circuit. The source electrodes of P-channel MOSFETs Q9 and Q10 that construct the loads of the current mirror circuit are connected with the power supply voltage Vdd, and the common connecting end of their gate electrodes is connected with the drain electrode of the input MOSFET 32. The pair of input terminals of the sensing circuit SC are the gate electrodes of the input MOSFETs Q32 and Q33. An output terminal of the circuit SC is the connecting point of the drain electrodes of MOSFETs Q10 and Q33, and is connected with the input terminal of an output inverter INV. When an amplified voltage Vout of the sensing circuit SC reaches a level that can be detected by the output inverter INV, the inverter INV gives reading data Dr to a data output buffer not shown in the figure. The above mentioned power-switch MOSFET Q34 is controlled and switched by a sense-amplifying signal φsa that is supplied to its gate electrode. A high level of the sense-amplifying signal φsa switches on the power-switch MOSFET Q34 to activate the sensing circuit SC. The output terminal of the circuit SC is charged to the power supply voltage Vdd by a P-channel MOSFET Q15 when the SC is not activated.

When the circuit SC is activated and its input terminals are supplied with complementary signals, the drain-to-source current flowing through each MOSFET Q32 or Q33 differs, so a drain-to-source current change of MOSFET Q32 changes that of MOSFET Q 9, and therefore a source-to-drain voltage of MOSFET Q10 is determined by the above change and the change of a drain-to-source current of MOSFET Q33. For example, when a gate input voltage of MOSFET Q32 is greater than that of MOSFET Q 33, a drain voltage of MOSFET Q33, namely an amplified output of the sensing circuit SC, is made higher than a drain voltage of MOSFET Q32. On the other hand, if a gate input voltage of MOSFET Q33 is higher than that of MOSFET Q32, a drain voltage of MOSFET Q33, namely an amplified output of the sensing circuit SC, is made lower than a drain voltage of MOSFET Q32.

In this manner, as the sensing circuit SC has a current change of MOSFETs Q32, Q33 generated by the difference of their gate input voltages and supplies the change of source-to-drain voltages of MOSFET Q10, it is desirable to operate the MOSFETs Q32, Q33, Q9 and Q10 that construct the circuit SC in the saturated region so that the amplification or the amplifying sensitivity of the sensing circuit can be maximized. That is, the differential input levels which can make the amplifying operation of such sensing circuit SC the most sensitive, are complementary levels of which the center is approximately the intermediate level of the power supply voltage Vdd to operate the MOSFETs in the saturated region (range close to the voltage Vdd/2).

The above level shift circuit LS transforms minute, complementary level changes close to the power supply voltage Vdd as a precharging level, provided on the pair of common data lines CD, CD by reading memory cell data, to the level change near the above operating point, where the amplifying operation of the sensing circuit SC becomes the most sensitive.

That is, the level shift circuit includes a pair of source follower circuits each providing an output source voltage according to the input voltages as the fundamental construction. More specifically, the circuit LS in FIG. 1, which is to be construed as being exemplary only rather than being limited thereto, includes MOSFETs Q27-Q31 wherein the drain electrodes of N-channel driving MOSFETs Q27, Q28, i.e. the current amplifying transistors, are connected with the power supply voltage Vdd, the gate electrode of one driving MOSFET Q27 is connected with the common data line CD, the gate electrode of the other driving MOSFET Q28 is connected with the common data line CD, the source electrodes of the above driving MOSFETs Q27, Q28 are connected with the drain electrodes of N-channel MOSFETs Q29, Q30; the common connecting point of the gate electrodes of the MOSFETs Q29, Q30 is connected with the drain electrode of the MOSFET Q29 to form a current mirror circuit and the common connecting end of the source electrodes of the MOSFETs Q29, Q30 which construct a current mirror circuit, is connected with the ground potential Vss through an N-channel power switch MOSFET Q31. A pair of input terminals of the level shift circuit LS are the gate electrodes of the driving MOSFETs Q27, Q28; one output terminal of the level shift circuit LS, namely, the source electrode of the driving MOSFET Q27, is connected with the gate electrode of an input MOSFET Q32, namely, one input terminal of the sensing circuit SC1, and the other output terminal of the level shift circuit LS, namely, the source electrode of the driving MOSFET Q28, is connected with the gate electrode of an input MOSFET Q33, namely, the other input of the sensing circuit SC. The above power switch MOSFET Q31 is controlled and switched by a sense-amplifying signal φsa that is supplied to its gate electrode, and is activated synchronously with the sensing circuit SC.

An amount of level shifting between the input and the output voltages of the level shift circuit LS, is determined by the threshold voltage of the driving MOSFET Q27 (Q28), a constant depending on a gate oxidation film capacity, carrier movements in a channel and so on, and a drain-to-source current of the MOSFET Q27 (Q28); for example, a power supply of 5V relating to the operating point of the sensing circuit SC will set the amount of shifting to the range from 2V to 2.5V. Therefore, a minute, complementary level change close to the power supply voltage Vdd, generated on the pair of common data lines CD, CD by reading memory cell data, is transformed to the level change close to the intermediate level of the magnitude of the power supply voltage Vdd, where amplifying operation of the sensing circuit SC becomes the highest sensitivity, and therefore the transformed level change is supplied to the input terminal of the sensing circuit SC.

In particular, the relation between an input and an output of the level shift circuit LS is like that of source followers, so the output response is very fast if an output load capacity is small. In this embodiment, since an output load of the level shift circuit LS is only the input gate capacity of the sensing circuit SC, the time required to shift the level is negligible small. When the level shift circuit LS is activated, a direct current path is formed because of its construction but, as mentioned above, since the load driven by the level shift circuit LS is very small, the high-speed level shift operation is not adversely influenced even if a current flowing through the direct current path is rather small, and therefore constants of MOSFETs, such as the source-to-drain ON state resistance, that are used to construct a level shift circuit are set up properly for effecting a low power consumption.

Next, the data reading operation of the above SRAM will be explained with reference to the time charts of FIG. 2.

When an extremely supplied address signal is confirmed, selective operation is performed on the column in response to the above address signal at time t0 of the predetermined timing, which is synchronized with the external clocks. In this case, a column selection signal CSW1, for example, is made high level instead of CSWn. Therefore, a pair of common data lines CD, CD are made conductive with a pair of data lines D0, D0 through transfer gates TG0 and TG0'. At that time, precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 are already switched on by a precharging signal φpo, which is controllably set to a low level. The pair of common data lines CD, CD and a pair of data lines Dn, Dn are charged to the power supply voltage Vdd through transfer means TGn, TGn' before the time t0. The precharging signal φpo is inverted to a high level at time t1, after the time lapse required to charge the common data lines CD, CD.

Next, the selective operation is done on the low-level side, at time t2, in response to the above address signal. For example, a word line W0 is driven to a selective or high level, a sense-amplifying signal φsa is controllably set to a high level, wherein the level shift circuit LS and a sensing circuit SC are activated.

If the word line W0 level is changed to a selective level at time t2, wherein the selective terminal is connected to the word line W0, selective MOSFETs Q23, Q24 of a memory cell, of which the data input and output terminals are connected with the pair of data lines D0, D0, are switched on; therefore, the pair of data lines D0, D0 and the pair of common data lines CD, CD generate minute, complementary level changes away from the power supply voltage which is the previously attained precharge level, according to the information stored in the related memory cell MS. In this case, the difference of the levels gradually increase as the time passes. For example, according to the information kept in the related memory cell MC, a MOSFET Q21 is switched on, and a MOSFET Q22 is switched off, so the charges accumulated on one data line D0 and one common data line CD are discharged gradually through the MOSFETs Q23 and Q21, and the potentials of these lines are decreased gradually from the power supply voltage Vdd of a precharging level; in this case, the other data line DO and the other common data line CD are maintained at the precharging level.

When the level shift circuit LS and the sensing circuit SC are activated in response to selective operation of a word line W0, the level shift circuit LS receives, with driving MOSFETs Q27 and Q28, complementary level changes close to the above power supply voltage Vdd that are generated on the common data lines CD, CD, and shifts the complementary input levels by a value, respectively, ranged from 2V to 2.5V. The levels which are shifted in such a way are transformed to a level change close to an operating point Vc, where the sensing circuit SC has the most sensitive amplifying operation, so that the level change is supplied to input MOSFETs Q32 and Q33. In this way, the sensing circuit SC can set up amplifying output operation, without waiting for the level changes of a pair of data lines, having a large load capacity and a pair of common data lines CD, CD themselves to reach the vicinity of the operation point of the sensing circuit.

After the amplifying output operation of the sensing circuit SC is set up, in other words, after an amplifying output voltage Vout of the sensing circuit SC is set up in relation to the logic threshold level of an output inverter INV, the selective operation of the word line W0 ends with the timing (time t3) before the pair of data lines D0, D0 and the pair of common data lines CD, CD in themselves have level changes that reach the vicinity of the operation point of the sensing circuit SC. Therefore, level changes of the pair of data lines D0, D0 and of the pair of common data lines CD, CD , are limited to those of the vicinity of the power supply voltage Vdd.

If in a predetermined timing (t4) that in synchronous with external clocks not shown the precharging signal φpo is changed to a low level again, the pair of data lines D0, D0 and the pair of common data lines CD, CD start to be charged to the power supply voltage Vdd with the operation of the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2. At the succeeding time t5, a sense amplifying signal φsa moves to a low level so that the sensing circuit SC and the level shift circuit LS become inactive, and the above MOSFET Q15 is switched on, and therefore an output voltage Vout of the sensing circuit SC is initiallized to a high level to prepare for the next operation of memory cycles.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a level shift circuit that magnifies and outputs complementary changes of an input voltage. The level shift circuit LS' shown in the figure can be used instead of the above mentioned level shift circuit LS for the SRAM of FIG. 1.

The mutual conductance of MOSFET loads Q45 and Q46 is smaller than that of driving MOSFETs Q40 and Q41. That is, when driving MOSFETs Q40 and Q41 have complementary changes of the switching-on resistances, the MOSFET loads Q45 and Q46 increase changes of a current flowing through each source follower circuit on the basis of an output voltage of the other source follower circuit.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4 that corresponds to a part of FIG. 2, when a gate input voltage of one driving MOSFET Q40 is lower than that of the other MOSFET Q41, and when an input voltage change increases with the time lapse the MOSFET load Q46 of which the gate electrode is connected with an output terminal Pout1 having the lower level, increases gradually the current being supplied to the other output terminal Pout2 and the output level of the related output terminal Pout2 increases gradually. On the other hand, the MOSFET load Q45 of which the gate electrode is connected with the output terminal Pout2 having an increasing level, decreases gradually the current being supplied to the output terminal Pout1, or the MOSFET load Q45 itself is cut off when the level of the Pout2 is sufficiently increased; therefore, an output level of the related output terminal Pout1 is gradually decreased according to a gate input voltage of the driving MOSFET Q40. In this way, the output change caused by an input change of the level shift circuit LS' is shifted as the straight line instead of the chained line that indicates the high-level output changes of the level shift circuit LS in FIG. 1. Therefore, as the level shift circuit LS' can generate complementary-shifted outputs by gradually increasing a difference of levels of complementary input voltages, amplifying operation of the sensing circuit SC is set up with a far higher speed.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a clocked-static RAM according to the invention.

The essential part of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 is applied to the circuit of FIG. 5, and therefore some of the symbols used for each element of FIG. 1 are used commonly for FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the timing generation circuit that is included in the clocked-static RAM of FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 shows the timing charts of an embodiment of the clocked-static RAM of FIG. 5. According to these figures and the embodiment, construction and operation of a clocked-static RAM will be explained.

The clocked-static RAM of this embodiment although not particularly limited to it is included in a large scale integrated circuit. The large scale integrated circuit although not particularly limited to it includes two or more on-chip RAMs that have the same features as the clocked-static RAM of this embodiment, and is therefore used to construct a digital device, for example a microcomputer. In the digital device, a clocked-static RAM, although not particularly limited to it is used as temporary memory like a register file. Each circuit element shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 and circuit elements that construct each block, although not particularly limited thereto, is the same for the other circuit elements of the large scale integrated circuit not shown in the figure, and formed on a semiconductor substrate, for example, a single-crystal silicon. In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, MOSFETs having an arrow on the channel are of P-channel type, distinguished from N-channel MOSFETs which are illustrated without an arrow.

A clocked-static RAM, although not particularly limited to it, is considered as a RAM of multi-bit construction that inputs and outputs simultaneously 32-bit storage data; and the RAM has the fundamental construction of two memory arrays MA0 and MA1 arranged on the greater part of a semiconductor substrate. The memory arrays MA0 and MA1 have no particular limitation, and are selectively operated according to an address signal Ai of the most significant bit, including 32 subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, or SM10 to SM131, respectively, which are corresponding to each bit of storage data.

In FIG. 5, subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, and SM10 to SM131, which construct memory arrays MA0 and MA1, have no limitation; but, as shown representatively by a subordinate memory array SM00 of FIG. 5, the above mentioned arrays include m+1 word lines W00 to W0m, or W10 to W1m, which are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction, n+1 pairs of complementary data lines D0 to Dn which are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction (here, complementary data line D0, for example, means both non-inverting data line D0 and inverting data line D0), and (m+1)·(n+1) static memory cells MC which are arranged on the intersecting points of these word lines and complementary data lines; respectively. The internal construction of the memory cell MC is the same as what is shown in FIG. 1.

Transmitting gates of n+1 memory cells MC that are arranged on the same line of memory array MARY, that is, gates of MOSFETs Q23, Q24 and so on, are commonly connected, respectively, with the corresponding word lines W00 to W0m, or W10 to W1m.

The word lines W00 to W0m that construct subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031 are connected with an X address decoder XAD to be able to select by one word line an individual row of the memory array MA0. In the same manner, the word lines W10 to W1m constructing subordinate memory arrays SM10 to SM131 of a memory array MA1 are connected with an X address decoder XAD to be able to select by one word line an individual row of the memory array MA1. The X address decoder XAD is supplied with complementary, internal address signals a0 to e,uns/a/ j having j+1 bits from an address buffer AB (here, complementary internal address a0, for example, means both non-inverting internal address signal a0 and inverting internal address signal a0) and is supplied with timing signals φs0 and φs1 from timing generation circuits TG0 and TG1. Here, the timing signals φs0 and φs1 are, as shown in FIG. 7, usually in a low level; and when the clocked-static RAM is in the selective condition, they are moved to a high level by the predetermined selective timing. And they are returned to a low level, after a certain time is passed from the start of writing operation, or when reading operation ends and the logic level of an output signal is set up. This will be explained later.

The X address decoder XAD is selected to be in an operating condition if the above mentioned timing signal φs0 or φs1 becomes high level. In this operating condition, the X address decoder XAD decodes the above complementary, internal address signals a0 to aj, and makes the corresponding word line of the memory array MA0 or MA1 a high level selectively. As described above, when a certain period is passed from the start of writing operation, or when reading operation ends and the logic level of an output signal is set up, the above timing signals φs0 and φs1 become low level, and the operation of the X address decoder XAD stops. As a result, all of the word lines W00 to W0m, and W10 to W131 are placed in the non-selective condition of low level. In this way, not only an operating current of the X address decoder XAD is decreased, but an operating current of each memory cell MC of memory arrays MA0 and MA1 is decreased.

Now, the complementary data lines D0 to Dn that construct subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, and SM10 to SM131, which are not necessarily limited to that illustrated in FIG. 5, are connected with the power supply voltage of the circuit through the corresponding P-channel, precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. on one hand, and are connected with the corresponding subordinate column switches SS00 to SS031, or SS10 to SS131 of a column switch CS0 or CS1, for example the corresponding switching MOSFETs Q5·Q25 and Q6·Q26, on the other hand.

The gates of precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. are commonly supplied with timing signals φp0 or φp1 from a timing generation circuit TG0 or TG1. Here, the timing signals φp0 and p1 have no limitation, and are usually low level as shown in FIG. 7. But when a clocked-static RAM is in the selective condition, the timing signals φp0 and φp1 are moved to high level before the above timing signals φs0 or φs1 goes high. The signals φp0 and φp1 are returned to low level, when a certain period is passed from the start of writing operation, or when reading operation ends and the logic level of an output signal is set up, as is the same for the timing signals φs0 and φs1.

The precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. are selectively switched on, when the clocked-static RAM becomes non-selective and the above timing signals φp0 and φp1 are low level wherein precharge of the non-inverting and inverting signal lines of the corresponding complementary data lines D0 to Dn to a high takes place, for example the power supply voltage of the circuit. When the clocked-static RAM is placed in the selective condition, and when the corresponding timing signal φp0 or φp1 shown above is made high level, the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. are switched off, and therefore the precharging operation of complementary data lines is stopped.

The column switches CS0 and CS1 have no particular limitation, and respectively include 32 subordinate column switches SS00 to SS031, or SS10 to SS131, respectively, which are disposed correspondingly with respect to subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, or SM10 to SM131. These subordinate column switches although not particularly limited thereto include, as shown representatively by the subordinate column switch SS00 in FIG. 5, n+1 pairs of complementary switching MOSFETs Q5·Q25, Q6·Q26 etc. corresponding to the complementary data lines D0 to Dn. Among them, switching MOSFETs of another side, for example Q25 and Q26 are commonly connected with the corresponding, writing, complementary, common data lines C00W to C031W, or C10W to C131W, respectively. The gates of these switching MOSFETs are commonly connected with each other and the corresponding data line selective signals Y00W to Y0nW, or Y10W to Y1nW are supplied from a Y address decoder YAD0 or YAD1, respectively. In the same manner, each of switching MOSFETs of another side, for example Q5·Q6 is commonly connected with the corresponding, reading, complementary, common data lines C00R to C031R, or C10R to C131R. The commonly connected gates of these switching MOSFETs are coupled to selectively receive corresponding, inverting data line selective signals Y00R to Y0nR, or Y10R to Y1nR supplied from the above Y address decoder YAD0 or YAD1, respectively. Here, data line selective signals Y00W to Y0nW, and Y10W to Y1nW are normally at a low level and the signals are selected to a high level by a certain timing, when the clocked static RAM is in a selective condition. The inverting data line selective signals Y00R to Y0nR, and Y10R to Y1nR are normally at a high level, and they are selected to a low level by a certain timing when the clocked-static RAM is in a selective condition.

When the corresponding, above mentioned data line selective signals Y00W to Y0nW, or Y10W to Y1nW are selected to a high level, switching MOSFETs Q25, Q26 etc. of the subordinate column switches SS00 to SS031 wherein SS10 to SS131 are switched on; and the complementary data lines D0 to Dn and the writing, complementary, common data lines C00W to C031W, or C10W to C131W corresponding to the subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, or SM10 to SM131 are in a connecting condition. As a result, 32 memory cells MC in all (one cell for each subordinate memory array) are selected simultaneously, and connected with the corresponding writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131, respectively. In the same manner, switching MOSFETs Q5, Q6 etc. of the subordinate column switches SS00 to SS031, and SS10 to SS131 are switched on if one of the corresponding, above mentioned inverting data line selective signals from Y00R to Y0nR, or from Y10R to Y1nR is selected to be a low level wherein the corresponding complementary data lines D0 to Dn and the corresponding, reading, complementary, common data lines C00R to C031R, or C10R to C131R of subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, or SM10 to SM131 are placed in connecting condition. As a result, 32 memory cells in all (one memory cell for each subordinate memory array) are simultaneously selected, and connected, respectively, with the corresponding sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, or SA10 to SA131.

Y address decoders YAD0 and YAD1, although not particularly limited thereto, are supplied commonly with complementary, internal address signals aj+1 to ai having i-j bits from the above mentioned address buffer AB. The timing signal φs0 or φs1 is supplied from the timing generating circuit TG0 or TG1 to the address decoders YAD0 and YAD1, respectively, and at the same time, an internal control signal not shown in the figure is commonly supplied in order to specify an operation mode.

The Y address decoders YAD0 and YAD1 are selectively placed in their operating condition, when the corresponding, above mentioned timing signal φs0 or φs1 becomes a high level. In this operating condition, the Y address decoders YAD0 and YAD1 decode the above mentioned, complementary, internal address signals aj+1 to ai. As a result, when the clocked-static RAM is in the writing mode, one of the corresponding, above mentioned data line selective signals from Y00W to Y0nW, or Y10W to Y1nW is selected to be a high level. When the clocked-static RAM has an operating condition in the reading mode, one of the corresponding above mentioned, inverting data line selective signals from Y00R to Y0nR, or from Y10R to Y1nR is selected to be a low level. As mentioned above, when a certain period is passed from the start of a writing operation, or when a reading operating ends and the logic level of an output signal is set up, the above timing signals φs0 and φs1 are set to a low level and the operation of Y address decoders YAD0 and YAD1 is stopped. Therefore, all data line selective signals and inverting data line selective signals are in a non-selective condition, low level or high level. In this way, operating currents of the Y address decoders YAD0 and YAD1 are decreased, and operation to precharge each complementary data line can be started early.

Complementary, writing, common data lines C00W to C031W, and C10W to C131W are connected with the corresponding output terminals of writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131, respectively. The input terminals of these writing amplifiers are connected with the output terminals of the corresponding data input buffers IB00 to IB031, or IB10 to IB131, respectively. The input terminals of the data input buffers IB00 to IB31 are connected with the input terminals of the corresponding data input buffers IB10 to IB131, respectively, and are supplied with the corresponding input data DI0 to DI31, respectively, through an not-shown data bus of a large scale integrated circuit. The writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, and WA10 to WA131 are commonly supplied with a timing signal φw0 or φw1 from the corresponding timing generation circuit TG0 or TG1. Here, the timing signals φw0 and φw1 have no particular limitation, are normally kept low, and are selectively set to a high level during a certain timing when the clocked-static RAM becomes a selective condition in the writing mode. As will be explained later, the signals are returned to a low level when a certain period required for writing is passed from the start of writing operation.

Data input buffers IB00 to IB031, and IB10 to IB131 receive the above input data DI0 to DI31 when the clocked-static RAM is in the writing mode, and transmit the data to the corresponding writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131.

The writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, and WA10 to WA131 are selected to be in an operating condition, when the clocked-static RAM is in the writing mode and when the above timing signal φw0 or φw1 is set to a high level. In this operating condition, writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, and WA10 to WA131 have complementary writing signals, that is, writing data which are transformed from the corresponding, above mentioned data input buffers IB00 to IB031, or IB10 to IB131, and the complementary writing signals are supplied to a selected memory cell MC of subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, or SM10 to SM131 through the corresponding, writing, complementary, common data lines C00W to C031W, or C10W to C131W.

In this embodiment, timing signals φw0 and φw1 are returned to a low level, as mentioned above, after a certain period is passed from the start of writing operation, and therefore the whole operation of writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, and WA10 to WA131 is stopped. In this way, the writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, and WA10 to WA131 operate during the minimum period required so as to decrease the power consumption of clocked-static RAMs.

Complementary, reading, common data lines C00R to C031R, and C10R to C131R are connected with the input terminals of the corresponding sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, or SA10 to SA131, respectively. The output terminals of these sense amplifiers are connected with the corresponding input terminals of data output buffers OB00 to OB031, or OB10 to OB131, respectively. Each of these sense amplifiers has the same internal construction as the sense amplifier SA shown in FIG. 1. The output terminals of data output buffers OB00 to OB031 are commonly connected with the corresponding output terminals of data output buffers OB10 to OB131, respectively. Their output signals are transmitted to the data bus of a large scale integrated circuit as output data DP0 to DO31. The sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 are supplied commonly with a timing signal φr0 or φr1 from the corresponding timing generation circuit TG0 to TG1. The function of these timing signals φr0 or φr1 is the same as what is shown in FIG. 1. Data output buffers OB00 to OB031, and OB10 to OB131 are supplied commonly with the above timing signal φr1 or φr0 from the opposite timing generation circuit TG1 or TG0. Here, timing signals φr0 and φr1 have no particular limitation, and are usually low level but when the clocked-static RAM is in a selective condition of the reading mode, the timing signals are selected to a high level with a predetermined timing. It will be explained later that they are returned to a low level when the reading operation finishes and the logic level of an output signal of sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 is set up.

When the clocked-static RAM is in the reading mode, and when the above timing signal φr0 or φr1 has a high level, sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 are selected to be in an operating condition. In this operating condition, the sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 amplify a reading signal that generates from a selected memory cell MC of subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031, or SM10 to SM131 through the corresponding reading, complementary, common data lines C00R to C031R, or C10R to C131R, and transmit the reading signal to the corresponding data output buffers OB00 to OB031, or OB10 to OB131.

In this embodiment, the timing signals φr0 and φr1 are returned to a low level, as mentioned above, when the reading operation ends and a low level of an output signal of each sense amplifier is set up, and therefore the whole operation of the sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 is stopped. In this way, the sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 are in the operating condition for the minimum required period so as to decrease the power consumption of clocked static RAMs.

When the clocked-static RAM is in the reading mode, data output buffers OB00 to OB031, and OB10 to OB131 take in a reading signal transmitted from the corresponding sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, or SA10 to SA131, and send it to a data bus, not shown, of a large scale integrated circuit as output data DO0 to DO31.

By the way, the data output buffers OB00 to OB031, and OB10 to OB131, although not particularly limited thereto, include output latches to hold data for reading. These output latches take in instantly a reading signal amplified by the corresponding sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131, and hold it until the next reading operation begins. Needless to say, sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131 are selected to be in the operating condition according to an address signal of the most significant bit. Therefore, unless sense amplifiers of one group are in the operating condition continuously, data held in each output buffer are not cleared. In this way, for the clocked-static RAM of this embodiment, an opposite timing signal φr1 or φr0 is supplied to the data output before buffers OB00 to OB031, or OB10 to OB131 so as to clear the output latches of the data output buffers that belong to a group not in the operating condition.

Timing generating circuits TG0 and TG1 have no particular limitation, and are supplied commonly with a chip enable signal CE, and read/write signals R/W from another circuit of a large scale integrated circuit, and then supplied with an inverted, internal control signal dd0 or dd1 from a sense amplifier SA00 or SA10. Here, the inverted, internal control signals dd0 and dd1 have no particular limitation, and are normally of high level; they are temporarily set to a low level when the clocked-static RAM is in a selective condition of the reading mode, and when a logic level of an output signal of the corresponding sense amplifier SA00 or SA10 is set up. In this embodiment, sense amplifiers SA00 and SA10 are so designed as to have a longer time of amplifying than that of other sense amplifiers SA01 to SA031, or SA11 to SA131. By distinguishing the logic-level setting-up of the sense amplifier SA00 or SA10, logic levels of all sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, or SA10 to SA131 are decided to be set up.

The timing generation circuits TG0 and TG1 as exemplified by a timing generation circuit TG0 in FIG. 6, although not to be construed as being limited thereto, have the fundamental construction of a flip-flop circuit FF including NAND gates G1 and G2. One input terminal of the NAND gate G1 is connected with the output terminal of the NAND gate G2, and the other input terminal is supplied with the above mentioned chip enable signal CE through two inverter circuits N1 and N2 connected in series. On the other hand, the first input terminal of the NAND gate G2 is connected with the output terminal of the NAND gate G1, the second input of the NAND gate G2 is supplied with the above mentioned, inverted, internal control signal dd0 or dd1 through an N-channel MOSFET Q7', and supplied with the power supply voltage of the circuit through a P-channel MOSFET Q7. The gates of these MOSFETs Q7' and Q7 are commonly connected and supplied with the above timing signal φr0 or φr1. The third input of the NAND gate G2 is supplied with an inverted delay signal φwd0 or φwd1 of the above mentioned timing signal φw0 or φw1, through, although not to be construed as being limited thereto, a delay circuit that comprises five inverter circuits N12 to N16 connected in series and an N-channel MOSFET Q8' and then supplied with the power supply voltage of the circuit through a P-channel MOSFET Q8. The gates of these MOSFETs Q8' and Q8 are commonly connected, and are supplied with the above timing signal φw0 or φw1.

An output signal of an inverter circuit N2 namely a chip enable signal CE is also supplied to the first input terminal of a NAND gate circuit G3. The second input terminal of the NAND gate circuit G3 is supplied with an output signal g1 of the above NAND gate G1, and the third input of the NAND gate G3 is supplied with an inverted address signal ai or a non-inverted address signal ai of the most significant bit, selectively. The output signal of the NAND gate G3 forms an internal signal n5 after being inverted by an inverter circuit N5.

The output signal of the inverter circuit N5, that is, the internal signal n5, is transformed into the above mentioned timing signal φp0 or φp1 through two inverter circuits N6 and N7 that are connected in series, and supplied to the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. of a memory array MA0 or MA1, and the internal signal n5 is transformed into the above mentioned timing signal φs0 or φs1 through two inverter circuits N8 and N9 that are connected in series, in the same manner, and supplied to an X address decoder XAD and to a Y address decoder YAD0 or YAD1.

The output signal of the inverter circuit N5, that is, the internal signal n5 is also supplied to one input of each NAND gate G4 or G5. The other input terminal of the NAND gate G4 is supplied with an internal signal wm that is formed by inverting the read/write signals R/W by using an inverter circuit N3, and the other input terminal of the NAND gate G5 is supplied with an internal signal rm that is formed by inverting the above internal signal wm by using an inverter circuit N4. Needless to say, the above internal signal wm is selected to a high level when the read/write signals R/W are of low level, and when the clocked-static RAM is the writing mode. The internal signal rm is selected to a high level when the read/write signals R/W are a high level, and when the clocked-static RAM is in the reading mode. Therefore, the output signal of the above inverter circuit N5, that is, the internal signal n5, is transmitted to the inverter circuit N10 when the clocked-static RAM is in the writing mode, and supplied to the writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131 as the above mentioned timing signal φw0 or φw1. On the other hand, when the clocked-static RAM is in the reading mode, the internal signal n5 is transmitted to an inverter circuit N11, and supplied to the sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, or SA10 to SA131 as the above mentioned timing signal φr0 or φr1.

In this embodiment, the above mentioned timing signals φp0, φs0, φw0 and φr0; or φp1, φs1, φw1 and φr1 are so designed as to have the timing shown in FIG. 7 if the circuit constants of the corresponding inverter circuits and NAND gates are properly adjusted.

When the chip enable signal CE has a low level and the clocked static RAM has a non-selective condition, the output signal of an inverter circuit N2 has a low level; and the output signal g1 of the NAND gate G1 has a high level as shown in FIG. 7. As the timing signals φp0, φs0, φw0 and φr0, or φp1, φs1, φw1 and φr1 have a low level, MOSFETs Q7' and Q8' are switched off, and MOSFETs Q7 and Q8 are switched on. Therefore, the first, second and third input terminals of the NAND gate G2 have a high level, and its output terminal becomes low level. In this way, a flip-flop circuit FF has a reset condition with its output signal g1 of high level.

The clocked-static RAM is placed in the selective condition by changing the chip enable signal CE from low to high level. As shown in the cycle Cy.1 of FIG. 7, it is selected to be in the writing mode by changing read/write signals R/W to low level before the chip enable signal CE goes to high level, and the clocked-static RAM is supplied with (i+1)-bit address signals A0 to Ai from an address bus not shown, of a large scale integrated circuit, and supplied with 32-bit input data DI0 to DI31 through a data bus.

The timing generation circuits TG0 and TG1 of the clocked-static RAM have an internal signal wm of a high level and an internal signal rm of a low level when the read/write signals R/W are made low. When the chip enable signal CE becomes high level, an output signal of the NAND gate G3 is made low if the corresponding, inverting address signal ai or non-inverting address signal ai is high; and the corresponding output signal of an inverter circuit N5 namely an internal signal n5 is made high. As a result, timing signals φp0, φs0 and φw0 respond to the above mentioned inverting address signal ai of a high level, and timing signals φp1, φs1 and φw1 respond to the non-inverting address signal ai of a high level; the timing signals are made high by using the relation shown in FIG. 7 one after another.

In the clocked-static RAM, a high level of a timing signal φp0 or φp1 makes the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. of a memory array MA0 or MA1 switch off, wherein the precharging operation of the complementary data lines is stopped. As the timing signal φs0 or φs1 is made high, an X address decoder XAD and a Y address decoder, YAD0 or YAD1, are in an operating condition so as to start the selecting operation of the word lines and complementary data lines. Therefore, each memory cell is selected from each subordinate memory array of memory arrays MA0 or MA1, in other words, 32 memory cells MC are selected in total; and they are connected with the corresponding, writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131. These writing amplifiers are all in the operating condition when the timing signal φw0 or φw1 is made high, and therefore the input data DI0 to DI31 begin to be written into the selected 32 memory cells MC.

By the way, the timing signals φw0 and φw1 are supplied to the writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131 as mentioned above, and then supplied to the third input terminal of the NAND gate G2 as an inverted delay signal φwd0 or φwd1, through a delay circuit comprising inverter circuits N12 to N16. In this way, the timing signal φw0 or φw1 is made high level and when a predetermined delay time Td set in the above mentioned delay circuit is passed, an output signal of the NAND gate G2 moves to a high level. Here, the above delay time Td is so determined as to be the minimum required time for writing data into the writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, or WA10 to WA131. When an output signal of the NAND gate G2 is of high level, a chip enable signal CE becomes high level, and therefore an output signal of the NAND gate G1 is made low so as to make the output signal of the inverter N5 namely the internal signal n5 low. In this way, the timing signals φp0, φs0 and φw0 or φp1, φs1 and φw1 are moved to a low level at the same time. As a result, each address decoder and each writing amplifier are returned to the non-selective condition, and the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 etc. start to precharge the complementary data lines.

By the way, when the read/write signals are moved to a high level before the chip enable signal CE changes to a high level as shown in the cycle Cy.2 of FIG. 7, the clocked static RAM is placed in the reading mode. At that time, as the read/write signals R/W is set to a high level in the timing generation circuits TG0 and TG1 of the clocked-static RAM, an internal signal rm is at first made high, and then an internal signal wm is made low. And, when the chip enable signal CE is set to a high level, an output signal of the NAND gate G3 is moved to a low level if the corresponding, inverted address signal ai or non-inverted address signal ai is in a high level, and therefore the output signal of the corresponding inverter circuit N5 namely the internal signal n5 goes to high. As a result, timing signals φp0, φs0 and φr0 respond to the high level of the above mentioned, inverting address signal ai, and timing signals φp1, φs1 and φr1 respond to the high level of the non-inverted address signal ai, i.e. so the timing signals are set to a high level one after another, having a certain relation of timing.

In the clocked-static RAM, at first the precharging operation of the complementary data lines is stopped, as is the same for the cycle Cy.1, and then the specified, 32 memory cells MC are connected with the corresponding sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, or SA10 to SA131. These sense amplifiers are all placed in the operating condition, simultaneously, when the timing signal φr0 or φr1 goes to high; and then the reading signal generated from the selected, 32 memory cells MC begins to be amplified.

By the way, when the sense amplifiers complete the sensing and amplification of the reading signal so as to thereby set up their output signals, an output signal of the sense amplifier SA00 or SA10 namely an inverted, internal control signal dd0 or dd1 is set to a low level, as is already described before. At this time, in the timing generation circuit TG0 or TG1 of the clocked-static RAM, a MOSFET Q7' is switched on, and a MOSFET Q7 is switched off. Therefore, an output signal of the NAND gate G2 moves to a high level in response to the low level of the inverted, internal control signal dd0 or dd1. In this way, like the Cy.1 described before, timing signals φp0, φs0 and φr0 or φp1, φs1 and φr1 are all moved to a low level at the same time. As the result, each address decoder and each sense amplifier are placed in the non-operating condition wherein the complementary data lines begin to be precharged by the precharging MOSFETs Q1, Q2 and so on.

So, when the clocked-static RAM is placed in the selective condition in this embodiment, at first 32 memory cells that are specified by each address decoder, are selected and connected with the corresponding writing amplifier or sense amplifier. When a predetermined time Td is passed from the start of the writing operation performed by these writing amplifiers, or when the amplifying operation of the sense amplifiers is completed and the logic levels of their output signals are set up, each address decoder, writing amplifier and sense amplifier are cleared from the operating conditions, and the precharging operation of the complementary data lines is started by precharging MOSFETs. The time it takes to complete the amplifying operation can differ for each sense amplifier of SA00 to SA31. As shown in FIG. 8, an OR gate OGA can be used for generating a control signal that is supplied to the timing signal generation circuit TG0, after the inverted, internal control signals dd01 to dd031 from every sense amplifier are all changed to a low level. Moreover, in the clocked static RAM of this embodiment, the timing generation circuits which generate each timing signal, respectively, corresponding to the distributed memory arrays are such so as to shorten the critical path of the timing system employed. As a result, the operating current for both the reading and writing modes of the clocked-static RAM is decreased without adversely influencing its high-speed operation, and therefore its power consumption can be kept low.

As mentioned above, the clocked static RAM of this embodiment is included in a large scale integrated circuit and is characterized as a RAM of a multi-bit construction that inputs and outputs 32-bit storage data at the same time. When the clocked-static RAM is in the selective condition, 32 pairs of complementary data lines of a memory array are all placed in the selective condition simultaneously. Therefore, in this embodiment, loads of complementary data lines are decreased, thereby reducing the lower power consumption, by splitting up a memory array into two parts. The clocked-static RAM includes an X address decoder for both of the memory arrays, and Y address decoders YAD0 and YAD1, each one corresponding to a memory array. For each memory array, the clocked-static RAM includes 32 writing amplifiers WA00 to WA031, WA10 to WA131 and 32 sense amplifiers SA00 to SA031, and SA10 to SA131. In this embodiment, after a certain period of time from the start of a writing operation, or if a logic level of an output signal is set up after the reading operation is completed, operation of each address decoder, writing amplifier and sense amplifier is stopped, and the precharging operation for each complementary data line pair is started. A timing generation circuit to generate each kind of timing signal needed to control the various modes of operation of the clocked-static RAM is prepared for two memory arrays to shorten the critical path of the timing system. Therefore, the clocked-static RAM of this embodiment can result in a low power consumption without having an adverse effect on its high-speed operation.

In the embodiment described above, a clocked-static memory generates internal clocks having a time width that is necessary for the circuit operation, and the circuit is in the waiting condition when it is not being operated, and therefore its power consumption is decreased considerably. It is also possible to detect a bad memory that cannot be operated in a certain, prescribed time by the above mentioned internal clock. So, even if a rough timing condition is applied to external control signals that are supplied to memory, a precise inspection of AC characteristics can be done and therefore, when the present invention is applied to an on-chip memory embedded in a chip, AC characteristics can be accurately tested for on-chip memory which is difficult to test.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the sense amplifier SA00 that is shown in FIG. 5. This sense amplifier includes a precharging circuit PC, a level shift circuit LS, sense circuits SCP and SCN, and an output latch OL. The level shift circuit LS and a part of the sense circuits have the same construction as the corresponding circuit shown in FIG. 1. The precharging circuit PC has a pair of P-channel MOSFETs Q7 and Q8. The gates of both the MOSFETs Q7 and Q8 are commonly connected and supplied with the above mentioned timing signal φr0 from a timing generation circuit TG0.

In this case, the MOSFETs Q7 and Q8 of the precharging circuit PC are switched on selectively in response to the timing signal φr0 having a low level. That is, the clocked static RAM is in the non-selective condition and, therefore, the corresponding complementary, common data lines C00R are precharged to a high level, for example the power supply voltage of a circuit. The level shift circuit LS has the same construction as that of FIG. 1. Source voltages of MOSFETs Q27 and Q28 are supplied to the differential sense circuits SCP and SCN as complementary reading signals sd0 and sd0. The differential sense circuit SCN has the same construction as the differential sense circuit SC shown in FIG. 1. The differential circuit SCP has fundamentally the same construction as the sense circuit shown in FIG. 1, but its connection is different from FIG. 1 because a signal dp0 having the reverse phase of an output signal dn0 of the sense circuit SCN is to be generated.

Furthermore, one input of an AND gate AG is supplied with the above mentioned timing signal φr0 from the timing generation circuit TG0, and the other input terminal of the AND gate AG is supplied with an internal control signal rm. Here, the internal control signal rm is selected to a high level when the clocked-static RAM is in the selective reading condition. As the result, an output signal of the AND gate AG, namely a timing signal φsa, is selected to be in a high level state when the clocked-static RAM is in the selective reading mode and the above mentioned timing signal φr0 becomes a high level.

As a result, the level shift circuit LS is set to the selective operating condition because the clocked-static RAM is in the selective reading condition wherein the above timing signal φsa has a high level. At this time, the gates of the MOSFETs Q27 and Q28 of the level shift circuit LS are supplied with a certain reading signal through the complementary common data lines C00R.

The gates of MOSFETs Q32, Q33, Q35 and Q36 are supplied, respectively, with the output signals of the above level shift circuit LS, that is, the complementary reading signals sd0 and sd0. The gates of the MOSFETs Q31, Q34 and Q37 are supplied with the above timing signal φsa.

The drain of MOSFETs Q35 and Q33 is connected with an input terminal of CMOS inverter circuits N2 and N3, respectively. Between the input terminals of the inverter circuits N2, N3 and the power supply voltage of the circuit, P-channel presetting MOSFETs Q13 and Q14 are connected each having its gate connected to the output of AND gate AG so as to receive the above mentioned timing signal φsa. Output signals of the inverter circuits N2 and N3 are non-inverted, internal output signals dp0 and dn0, respectively.

When the clocked-static RAM is in the non-selective condition or writing mode, and when the above mentioned timing signal φsa has a low level, driving MOSFETs Q34 and Q37 of the differential sense circuits SCP and SCN are switched off, and presetting MOSFETs Q13 and Q14 are switched on. Therefore, both differential sense circuits SCP and SCN are placed in the non-operating condition and therefore the drain potentials of MOSFETs Q35 and Q33, that is, the inverted, internal output signals dp0 and dno, respectfully, are placed at an undefined level condition. However, as presetting MOSFETs Q13 and Q14 are switched on as mentioned above, these inverted, internal signals are all preset at a high level at about the power supply voltage of the circuit. As the result, output signals of the inverter circuits N2 and N3, that is, the non-inverted, internal output signals dp0 and dn0 are all set to a low level, and a current is prevented from flowing through the CMOS inverter circuits N2 and N3.

Also, when the clocked-static RAM is in the selective condition and reading mode, and when the above mentioned timing signal φsa has a high level, the driving MOSFETs Q34 and Q37 are switched on, and the presetting MOSFETs Q13 and Q14 are switched off.

In the clocked-static RAM of this embodiment, a differential sense circuit SCO functions as the first sense circuit to confirm a logic 1 of the corresponding, reading signal. In the same manner, a differential sense circuit SCN of the unit sense amplifiers USA0 to USA31 functions as the second sense circuit to confirm a logic 0 of the corresponding, reading signal. The output latch OL includes a latch as the fundamental construction, where two CMOS inverter circuits N20 and N21 are cross-coupled. A commonly connected node of the input terminal of an inverter circuit N20 and the output terminal of an inverter circuit N21, forms an inverting, input and output node of the output latch OL, and is connected with the power supply voltage and the ground voltage, respectively, through N-channel MOSFETs Q38 and Q40. The gate of the MOSFET Q38 is supplied with an output signal of the inverter circuit N3, that is a non-inverted, internal output signal dn0 and the gate of the MOSFET Q40 is supplied with an output signal of the inverter circuit N2, that is, a non-inverted, internal output signal dp0. In the same manner, a commonly connected node of the output terminal of the inverter circuit 20 and the input terminal of the inverter circuit 21 forms a non-inverting input and output node of the output latch OL, and is connected with the power supply voltage and the ground potential, respectively, through N-channel MOSFETs Q39 and Q41. The gate of the MOSFET Q39 is supplied with an output signal of the inverter circuit N2, that is, a non-inverted, internal output signal dp0; and the gate of the MOSFET Q41 is supplied with an output signal of the inverter circuit N3, that is, a non-inverted, internal output signal dn0. A potential of the non-inverting, input and output node of the output latch OL is transmitted to a data output buffer OB00 as a non-inverted, internal output signal rd0. An output signal ds0 is inverted and supplied to a timing generation circuit TG as an internal control signal dd0.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, there are provided, separately, a differential circuit SCP to detect a reading signal of a logic 1 level, and a differential sense circuit SCN to detect it as a logic 0 level; however, these differential sense circuits can be combined as a single differential sense circuit SC" shown in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10, P-channel MOSFETs Q15 and Q17, and N-channel MOSFETs including Q42 to Q45 correspond, respectively, to the P-channel MOSFETs Q11 and Q10, and to the N-channel MOSFETs Q32, Q35, Q33 and Q36, which are all shown in FIG. 9. A P-channel MOSFET Q16 is so constructed as to combine P-channel MOSFET Q9 and Q12 shown in FIG. 9; and an N-channel MOSFET Q46 can be formed by combining the N-channel MOSFETs Q34 and Q37 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows a block diagram of 2-port RAM according to an embodiment of the present invention. The 2-port RAM shown in the figure, although not specifically limited thereto, is formed on a semiconductor substrate, such as single-crystal silicon by using known integrated circuit manufacturing technology.

Now, an outline of a two-port RAM will be explained according to the invention. A memory cell included in a memory array 1 is so constructed that a writing transfer gate and a reading transfer gate are connected with data input and output terminals of a static latch circuit; in this case, a writing operation or reading operation can be performed independently and asynchronously, by using the writing system that connects the memory cell with a writing transfer gate through a writing bit line, and by using the reading system that connects the memory cell with a reading transfer gate through a reading bit line.

According to this embodiment, the writing system is constructed with a Y-selector for writing 2, which controllably selects a bit line to be conductive with writing, common data lines CDw and CDw; a data drive for writing 3, which drives the writing, common data lines CDw and CDw to complementary levels according to writing data Din; and so on. The reading system is constructed with a Y-selector for reading 4, which controllably selects a reading bit line to be conductive with reading, common data lines CDr and CDr; a sense amplifier 5 which detects a potential difference of the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr; an output latch circuit 6 to store an output signal of the sense amplifier 5; an amplifier buffer circuit 7 and so on. For the internal construction of the sense amplifier 5, for example, the circuit construction of a sense amplifier SA shown in FIG. 1 and a sense amplifier SA00 shown in FIG. 9 can be used. Operation timing and operation cycles for the reading and writing systems, although not specifically limited thereto, are fundamentally regulated by a reading clock signal CER for the reading operation and by a writing clock signal CEW for the writing operation. The reading clock CER and the writing clock CEW can be considered as a chip enable signal in clock synchronizing RAM. The reading clock signal CER and the writing clock signal CEW are asynchronous clock signals, and their phase relationship is determined by the conditions to supply them, and the internal and external delay conditions. Therefore, it is generally considered that a reading cycle and a writing cycle wholly or partially overlap each other; in such a case, a reading and a writing operation can be performed for the same memory, with the same or partially overlapped timing.

With respect to this point, a multi-port RAM according to this embodiment has an address accordance detector 8, which detects the accordance of writing addresses AW1 to awn and reading addresses AR1 to Arn, and, in response to this, provides writing data that are supplied to the writing system externally, to the reading common data lines CDr and CDr of the reading system, directly, through a short circuit 9 that is considered as a transmitting means. The writing information that is provided to the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr through a short circuit 9, is supplied to a sense amplifier 5. In this way, information supplied to the reading system is read out externally with a high speed if the priority of writing is actually satisfied and a memory cell to be accessed can be used for writing as well as for reading.

So, even if the same memory performs reading and writing operation in the same or partially overlapped timing, the reading speed of the data accessed is not decreased. Therefore a 2-port RAM can be used for high-speed access without concern that the reading and writing should not be done at the same time for the same memory cell.

Now, details of the 2-port RAM will be explained.

Details of the above mentioned memory array 1 are shown in FIG. 12.

A memory cell 10, although not limited thereto, has as a fundamental construction a static latch circuit of complementary MOS (simply described as CMOS, hereafter). The static latch circuit has a pair of CMOS inverter circuits, each of which is construction with P-channel MOSFETs Q51 and Q51', or N-channel MOSFETs Q52 and Q52'; in this case, each input terminal of the CMOS inverter circuits is cross-coupled with the output terminal of the other CMOS invertor.

Each connecting node of the above mentioned MOSFETs Q51, Q52, and Q51', Q52' is connected with two pairs of N-channel MOSFETs Q53, Q55, or Q54, Q56. The MOSFETs Q53 and Q54 are considered as a writing transfer gate, and the MOSFETs Q55 and Q56 are considered as a reading transfer gate. FIG. 12 shows a representative memory cell, but actually, two or more memory cells 10 are arranged in the X and Y directions to form a matrix.

In the memory cell 10 arranged to form a matrix, the gate electrodes of the MOSFETs Q53 and Q54 that construct a writing transfer gate, are connected with a writing word line WLwα(α=1˜2i) for every X direction; and the gate electrodes of the MOSFETs Q55 and Q56 that construct a reading transfer gate, are connected with a reading word line WLr α for every X direction. And one of the source and drain electrodes of MOSFETs Q53, Q54 that construct a writing transfer gate of the matrix-arranged memory cell 10, is connected with each of writing bit lines BLw β and BLwβ (β=1˜2[n-i]) for every Y direction; in the same manner, one of the source and drain electrodes of MOSFETs Q55 and Q56 that construct a reading transfer gate, is connected with each of reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ for every Y direction.

A selective control of the above mentioned reading word lines WLr1 to WLr2 is done by an X address buffer 13, a reading X-address decoder 14, and a reading word driver 15, all of which are shown in FIG. 11.

The reading X-address buffer 13 transforms reading address signals Ar1 to Ari into complementary address signals Ar1, Ar1˜ari, ari, and supplied them to the X address decoder 14. FIG. 13 shows a construction of one bit of the related address buffer 13, where an address bit Arα is inverted by using three-stage CMOS inverter circuits 16 to 18 connected in series so as to form an inverted bit arα. A non-inverter bit can then be formed by using two-stage CMOS inverter circuits 16 and 17 connected in series.

The reading X-address decoder 14 decodes the complementary address signals ar1, ar1˜ari, ari that are supplied from the reading X-address buffer 13, and forms selective signals WSr1 to WRs2i so as to select one line from word lines WLr1 to WLr2i.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the construction of the reading X-address decoder 14. The reading X-address decoder shown in FIG. 14, although not specifically limited thereto, includes a NAND gate 19 which is arranged with a pitch of every four of the word lines for reading, and each NAND gate 19 is supplied with a certain bit of complementary, internal address signals ar3, ar3˜ari, ari, and therefore the output of one NAND gate 19 becomes a low level according to the combination of the levels of bits supplied. The output of one NAND gate 19 is used for block selection, where four word lines are considered as one unit. In order to select one line from four that are included in this one-unit block, the decoded result is used by taking an AND logic of low-order two bits ar1, ar1, ar2, and ar2. For example, the output terminal of a NAND gate 19 is distributed to N-channel MOSFETs Q60 to Q63, which receive with their gate electrodes four kinds of signals obtained as a result of decoding. That is, a MOSFET Q60 is considered as an output gate of the word line selective signal WSr1 corresponding to the reading word line WLr1, a MOSFET Q61 is considered as an output gate of the word line selective signal WSr2 corresponding to the reading word line WLr2, a MOSFET Q62 is considered as an output gate of the word line selective signal WSr3 corresponding to the reading word line WLr3, and a MOSFET Q63 is considered as an output gate of the word line selective signal WSr4 corresponding to the reading word line WLr4.

The above mentioned reading word driver 15 drives a certain, reading word line to the selective level, for example a high level, on the basis of the word line selective signals Wsr1 to WSr2i that are supplied from the above reading X-address decoder 14.

FIG. 15 shows an example of the construction of the reading word driver 15. The related word driver 15, although not specifically limited thereto, has a driving inverter circuit 20, which inverts and drives a word line selective signal WSrα through an n-channel gate MOSFET Q65, and its gate is supplied with a reading clock signal CER. The input of this driving inverter circuit 20 is connected with P-channel MOSFETs Q66 and Q67; in this case, Q66 forces the word lines to a non-selective level in a precharging period that is indicated by a low level of the reading clock CER and Q67 holds this condition until the driving timing is indicated by a word line selective signal WSrα.

The selective control of the above mentioned writing word lines WLw1 to WLw2i is done by an X address buffer for writing 21, an X address decoder for writing 22, and a word driver for writing 23.

The X address buffer for writing 21 transforms writing address signals Aw1˜Awi into complementary address signals aw1, aw1˜awi, awi so as to output them, and can be constructed as shown in FIG. 13. The X address decoder for writing 22 decodes the complementary address signals aw1, aw1˜awi, awi supplied from the above mentioned X address buffer for writing 21, and generates writing word line selective signals WSw1 to WSw2i, which select a certain line from writing word lines WLw1 to WLw2i. For this selective logic, the same logic as shown in FIG. 14 can be used.

The word driver for writing 23 drives a certain writing word line to the selective level, for example a high level, on the basis of the word line selective signals WSw1 to WSw2i that are supplied from the X address decoder 22 for writing, and can be constructed as shown in FIG. 15.

In FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, a precharge circuit is shown with 11.

The precharge circuit 11 precharges the above mentioned complementary reading bit lines BLrβ to BLrβ and the complementary writing bit lines BLwβ to BLwβ to a power supply voltage Vdd having a relatively high level. The precharge circuit 11 is so constructed that the drain electrodes of a pair of P-channel precharge MOSFETs Q58 an dQ58', with their source electrodes connected with the power supply voltage Vdd, are connected with one end of each reading bit line BLrβ or BLrβ, and that the drain electrodes of a pair of P-channel precharge MOSFETs Q59 and Q59', with their source electrodes connected with the power supply voltage Vdd, are connected with one end of each writing bit line BLwβ or BLwβ. The precharge MOSFETs Q58 and Q58' are controlled in their switching by using the above mentioned reading clock signal CER and, when they are switched on, in response to a precharging period that is indicated by the low level of the reading clock CER, the reading bit lines BLr β and BLrβ are precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd. On the other hand, the precharge MOSFETs Q59 and Q59' are controlled in their switching by using the above mentioned writing clock signal CEW and, when they are switched on, in response to a precharging period that is indicated by the low level of the writing check CEW, the writing bit lines BLwβ and BLwβ are precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd.

When the writing bit lines BLwβ, BLwβ and reading bit lines BLrβ, BLrβ are precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd, both common writing data lines CDw, CDw and common reading data lines Cdr, CDr are precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd, the details of which will be described later. When reading memory cell data is in this condition, common reading data lines CDr, CDr and a reading bit line that is conductive with a selected memory cell, start to change minutely their levels from the power supply voltage Vdd, by the discharging operation of one of the selective MOSFETs Q52, Q52' which is switched on according to the information stored in the memory cell. In the writing operation, a writing bit line that is conductive with the selected memory cell and one of the writing common data lines CDw and CDw are discharged from the power supply voltage Vdd toward the ground potential Vss, till the level that can invert the information is stored in the memory cell if a data driver for writing 3 is operating.

Here, both of the writing bit lines BLwβ, BLw β and the reading bit lines BLrβ, BLrβ are precharged to a power supply voltage Vdd of a relatively high level. So, the writing, common data lines CDw, CDw and the reading, common data lines CDr, CDr are precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd, too. When the memory cell data are transmitted from the reading bit lines BLrβ, BLrβ to the reading, common data lines CDr, CDr during the above mentioned operating condition, the p-channel selective MOSFETs Q71 and Q71' that are switched on, have a large, mutual conductance. This large, mutual conductance functions to increase transmission performance of the memory cell data therethrough, wherein a change in the vicinity of the power supply voltage Vdd is realized. During the writing operation period, one of the writing, common data lines CDw, CDw is discharged from the precharging level of the power supply voltage Vdd to the ground potential of the circuit Vss and it is necessary that such a discharging level is transmitted to the memory cell in order to increase the reliability of writing operation. At that time, the n-channel selective MOSFETs Q70 and Q70' that are switched on, have a large, mutual conductance. As a result, the large, mutual conductance operates to increase the performance of transmitting a level change of the writing, common data lines CDw, CDw discharged from the power supply voltage Vdd to a writing bit line.

A selective control of the writing bit lines BLwβ and BLwβ is done by a Y address buffer 24 and a Y address decoder for writing 25 through the selective MOSFETs Q70 and Q70' that are included in a selector for writing 2.

The above mentioned writing, Y-address buffer 24 transforms the writing address signals Awj to Awn into the complementary address signals awj, awj˜awn, awn so as to output them. The writing Y-address decoder 25 decodes the complementary address signals awj, awj˜awn, awn that are supplied from the above mentioned writing, Y-address buffer 24 and generates the writing, bit line selective signals BLSw1 to BLSw2(n-i), which control the selective MOSFETs Q70 and Q70' corresponding to a certain pair of bit lines among the writing bit lines BLw1, BLw1˜BLw2(n-1), BLw2(n-1) to be switched on. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, an output of a NAND gate 26 is inverted by an inverter circuit 27 and supplied to the gate electrodes of the selective MOSFETs Q70 and Q70'. Such a logic circuit construction is used for each pair of writing bit lines. In such an address-decoding logic construction, whichever combinations of the levels of the writing address signals Awj to Awn may be present, a corresponding one of the writing bit line selective signals is made high level, and therefore an associated pair of selective MOSFETs Q70 and Q71 are switched on.

A selective control of the reading bit lines BLr β and BLrβ by the selective MOSFETs Q71 and Q71' that are included in the selector for reading 4, is performed by a Y address buffer for reading 28 and a Y address decoder for reading 29.

The Y address buffer for reading 28 will transform the reading address signals Arj to Arn to complementary address signals arj, arj˜arn, arn so as to output them. The Y address decoder for reading 29 decodes the complementary address signals arj, arj ˜arn, arn that are supplied from the reading address buffer 31, and generates reading bit line selective signals BLSr1 to BLSr2(n-i) so as to control the selective MOSFETs Q71 and Q71' corresponding to a certain pair of lines among the reading bit lines BLr1, BLr1˜BLr2(n-i), BLr2(n-i) to be switched on. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, a logic circuit is formed for each pair of heading bit lines in such a way that an output signal of a NAND gate 30 is supplied to the gate electrodes of the selective MOSFETs Q71 and Q71'.

In this embodiment, each NAND gate 30 that is included in the reading Y-address decoder 29 is supplied with a detecting signal AC from the above mentioned address accordance detector 8. This detecting signal AC has a high level when the accordance occurs, but a low level when no accordance occurs. Therefore, when writing addresses Aw1 to Awn coincide with reading addresses Ar1 to Arn, an output signal of the NANd gate 30 is forced to a high level; so both of the selective MOSFETs Q71 and Q71' that are included in the Y selector for reading 4, are switched off, and the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr are cut off from all of the reading bit lines BLr1, BLr1˜BLr2(n-i), BLr2(n-i). In this way, when a reading address coincides with a writing address, and when the writing, common data lines CDw and CDw are given with writing data that will be transformed to the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr through a short circuit 9, all of the reading, bit lines become non-conductive with the common data lines CDr and CDr, and therefore this non-conductive control condition functions in such a way that the compatibility is avoided between the data that is read from the selected memory cell, and the writing data given to the reading system.

On the other hand, when the writing addresses Aw1 to Awn do not coincide with the reading addresses Ar1 to Arn, and whichever combination the levels of the reading, address signals Arj to Arn may be, a corresponding one of the reading bit line selective signals is made a low level, and a pair of associated selective MOSFETs Q71 and Q71' are switched on; therefore, when the reading bit lines BLr1, BLr1˜BLr2(n-i), BLr2(n-i) are precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd, the reading, common data lines CDr, CDr are, in response to that, precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd, too.

In FIG. 12, a short circuit 9 that makes the writing, common data lines CDw, CDw and the reading, common data lines CDr, CDr conductive selectively, is constructed with a pair of p-channel transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72'. These transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72' are controlled and switched when the above mentioned detecting signal AC, i.e. a logic high level, is supplied to their gates.

When the writing data are transmitted to the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr through the transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72', both of the writing, common data lines CDw, CDw and the reading, common data lines CDr, CDr are set to the writing voltage. At this time, the p-channel transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72' that are already switched on, have a large, mutual conductance; as a result, the large, mutual conductance functions so as to enhance the transmitting performance of the complementary levels of common data lines CDw, CDw that are going to change from the vicinity of the power supply voltage Vdd.

FIG. 16 shows an example of a data driver for writing 3.

This data driver for writing 3 has two 2-input NAND gates 31 and 32 as an output stage for driving; one NAND gate 31 is supplied with writing data Din through serially connected two-stage CMOS inverters 33 and 34, and the other NAND gate 32 is supplied with an inverted level of the writing data Din through the above mentioned CMOS inverter 33. The output of each of the NAND gates 31 and 32 is controlled by the above mentioned writing clock signal CEW and a writing enable signal that indicates a writing operation when it is a high level. The control logic for this purpose has a 2-input NAND gate 37, to which a writing clock signal CEW is supplied as well as a writing enable signal WE is supplied through serially connected two-stage CMOS inverters 35 and 36, and the output of the NAND gate 37 is inverted by the CMOS inverter 38 so as to supply a logic high level to the other input of each of the above mentioned pair of NAND gates 31 and 32 when both inputs of NAND gate 37 are at a high level.

Such a data driver for writing 3 drives the writing, common data lines CDw and CDw to complementary levels according to the writing data Din when the writing enable signal WE and the writing clock signal are both in a high level. Otherwise, both of the writing, common data lines CDw and CDw are forced to the power supply voltage Vdd that is equal to the precharging level.

FIG. 17 shows an example of the address accordance detector 8.

This address accordance detector 8 discriminates the accordance, i.e. for coincidence, of the complementary writing addresses aw1, aw1˜awn, awn and the complementary reading addresses ar1, ar1˜arn, arn for every corresponding bit by using an exclusive OR circuit 40, respectively, and therefore the accordance of each bit is decided by a NOR gate 41. When all of the writing addresses and the reading ones have the accordance, an output signal of the NOR gate is made a high level. At this time, in order to avoid the transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72' from being switched on falsely, except for that writing operation and reading operation performed for the same memory cells with approximately the same timing, an output signal of the NOR gate 41 is inputted to a NAND gate 42 which is also inputted with the writing clock signal CEW, and therefore the detecting signal AC is formed through such a NAND logic.

A sense amplifier 5 can be of the same construction as the one shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 9.

Now, in the 2-port RAM of this embodiment, an example of the reading and writing operation will be explained referring to FIG. 18 for the case wherein a writing address does not coincide with a reading address.

In FIG. 18, a reading clock signal CER and a writing clock signal CEW have the phase difference shown. In this case, SYCr indicates a read cycle, SYCw indicates a write cycle, and a period during which a clock signal CER or CEW has a low level is the precharging period for each cycle. The reading clock signal CER, in its function, corresponds to the signal φsa shown in FIG. 1.

When the writing clock signal CEW becomes a high level at a time t0, an X address buffer for writing 21, an X address decoder for writing 22, and a word driver for writing 23 are operated according to the writing address signals Aw1 to Awi at that time, and therefore a certain writing word line WLwα is driven to the selected level corresponding to the related, writing address signals Aw1 to Awi. In the same manner, a Y address buffer for writing 24, a Y address decoder for writing 25, and a Y selector for writing 2 are operated according to the writing address signals Awj to Awn, wherein a certain pair of writing bit lines BLwβ and BLwβ becomes controllably connected with the common data lines CDw and CDw according to the related, writing address signals Awj to Awn. At that time, a data driver for writing 3 is made ready for operation by a high level of both the writing enable signal WE and the writing clock signal CEW, and drives the writing common data lines CDw and CDw to the complementary levels according to the writing data Din. When the driving signal is given to the above mentioned pair of bit lines BLwβ and BLwβ, the predetermined data are written into the memory cell selected in response to the writing address signals Aw1 to Awn.

When the reading clock signal CER is made high level at a time T1 shown in FIG. 18, an X address buffer for reading 13, an X address decoder for reading 14, and a word driver for reading 15 are operated according to the reading address signals Ar1 to Ari at that time, and therefore a certain reading word line WLrα is driven to the selected level corresponding to the related, reading address signals Ar1 to Ari. In the same manner, a Y address buffer for reading 28, a Y address decoder for reading 29, and a Y selector for reading 4 are operated according to the reading address signals Arj to Arn, wherein a certain pair of reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ become controllably connected with the common data lines CDr and CDr in accordance with the related, reading address signals Arj to Arn. In this way, when the data of a selected memory cell is transmitted to the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr in response to the reading address signals AR1 to Arn, a sense amplifier 5 detects a change of the levels generated on the common data lines CDr and CDr so as to amplify it. An output amplified by the sense amplifier 5 is received by an output latch circuit 6 which then provides it to an output buffer 7, and is supplied from output buffer 7 externally as reading data Dout.

In the reading operation, the sense amplifier 5 is influenced by the function of the level shift circuit L5, wherein it immediately detects a minute level change from an initial level of the power supply voltage Vdd for the reading bit lines, and for the reading, common data lines CDr and CDr so as to settle its output operation during a selective period of the reading word lines which is made lower. In response to this, the amplitudes of the reading bit lines and reading, common data lines that change when the data is reading, are restricted to a change only to the vicinity of the power supply voltage Vdd from an initial level corresponding to the power supply Vdd.

The access time is considered as tca1 shown in FIG. 18, from the assertion of the reading clock signal CER at a time t1 until the setting up of the reading data Dout.

In the operation shown by the time charts of FIG. 18, a writing address does not coincide with a reading address when the writing clock signal CEW is at a high level, and the period when the reading clock CER has a high level, does not overlap with the period when the writing clock CEW has a high level. Therefore the detecting signal AC always has a high level so that the transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72' included in the short circuit 9 maintain their conditions switched off.

Now in the 2-port RAM of this embodiment, an example of operation, in which reading and writing processes are done with the same timing for the same memory cell, is explained referring to FIG. 19.

In FIG. 19, the phase of a reading clock signal CER coincides with that of a writing clock signal CER and therefore a read cycle SYCr and a write cycle SYCw are wholly overlapped.

Even when the high level periods of the writing clock CEW and the reading clock CER are overlapped, the fundamental operation for reading or writing will be done independently, similarly as in the previous description. This is especially when the accordance of writing addresses Aw1 to Awn and reading addresses Ar1 to Arn is discriminated by the address accordance detector 8, which monitors the accordance of these addresses at the time of a high level of the writing clock CEW, wherein a detecting signal AC is made low level, thereby switching on the transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72' that are included in a short circuit 9. In this way, the transmitting MOSFETs Q72 and Q72', after being switched on, transmit, directly, a driving signal of the writing data driver 3 from the writing common data lines CDw, CDw to the reading common data lines CDr, CDr according to the writing data Din.

Writing data transmitted in such a way is provided at the sense amplifier 5, wherein it is then supplied to the outside according to the usual timing to read data. Therefore, the data being transmitted to the outside actually satisfies the condition that writing is given priority, and the operation to read out data is done in parallel with writing operation; therefore, it is not necessary to wait for the completion of the reading operation until the data once written are read out again, as it is necessary according to the conventional manner for satisfying the condition of priority. According to the present invention reading operation, reading information of a memory cell is not used, so the access time tca2 is a little bit shorter than the one explained in FIG. 18 (tca1).

Changes of reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ indicated in FIG. 19, shows a condition that the information stored in the selected memory cell is inverted by writing data Din at that time. That is, the levels of the reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ change at first according to the information stored in the memory cell; but, after this, the data of the related memory cell are inverted by writing data Din, and therefore the level change of the reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ is inverted. In the conventional manner, when level changes of the reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ are read out through the reading operation, via common data lines CDr and CDr, a setting up of or attainment of a reading data Dout is delayed as shown in the broken lines, and the access time tca3 becomes very large. In this case, a level change of the reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ is more exaggerated than the actual condition.

Therefore, even if the 2-port RAM of this embodiment is operated with high-speed using the access time explained in FIG. 18, it is not restricted to the condition that the reading and writing should not have an access to the same memory at the same time, and therefore the 2-port memory RAM of this embodiment can have an access with a high speed in any access condition.

In the 2-port RAM which comprises a reading system and writing system able to do both a reading operation and a writing operation asynchronously and independently for a static memory cell, and in this case, the static memory cell is connected with a writing bit line and a reading bit line where a power supply voltage level that is relatively high is a precharging level, the memory cells constructed as shown in FIG. 20 or FIG. 21 can be used.

A memory cell 60 shown in FIG. 20 is different from the above mentioned memory cell 10 in that p-channel MOSFETs Q55' and Q56' are used for a reading transfer gate.

A memory cell 61 shown in FIG. 21 is different from the memory cell 60 of FIG. 20 in that load resistances R and R' are used.

When a 2-port RAM is constructed by using memory cells 60 and 61, the construction of the embodiment 1 can be used as it is except for the fact that the selective level is instead set to a low level.

In this embodiment, writing bit lines BLw β, BLw β and reading bit lines BLrβ, BLr β are all precharged to a power supply voltage of a higher level. When memory cell data are transferred to the reading bit lines BLrβ and BLrβ in this condition, p-channel MOSFETs Q55' and Q56' that construct a reading transfer gate to be switched on have a large mutual conductance; as a result, the large mutual conductance functions to enhance the transmission performance of memory cell data that will change the reading bit lines to a level difference in the vicinity of the power supply voltage Vdd. In the writing operation, n-channel MOSFETs Q53 and Q54 are used for constructing a writing transfer gate, which is conductive with writing bit lines BLw β and BLwβ which are to be discharged from a precharging level at such time as when their mutual conductance increases, wherein the large mutual conductance functions to enhance the transmission performance of a level change of the writing bit lines to a static latch circuit, being discharged from the power supply voltage Vdd.

In such a precharging method that a writing bit line and a reading bit line are precharged to a power supply voltage having a higher level, a writing transfer gate is constructed with n-channel MOSFETs, and a reading transfer gate is constructed with p-channel MOSFETs; therefore, a minute potential change can be given, as it is in response to memory cell data, to a reading bit line that is already precharged to the power supply voltage Vdd, wherein a reading speed of data is increased without an adverse effect of the writing performance.

Especially in a CMOS static latch circuit shown in FIG. 20, which is included in the memory cell, reading and writing transfer gates are also constructed with CMOS circuits, and transistors forming a transfer gate can be made by extending a diffusion layer that is used for constructing a static latch circuit, and therefore the layout of transistors can be implemented easily during construction of a memory cell.

By combinating the memory cell constructions shown in FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 with a sense amplifier 5 explained in the embodiment 1, still more with a Y selector for reading 4 that is constructed with p-channel MOSFETs, and a Y selector for writing 2 that is constructed with n-channel MOSFETs, data reading operation of a 2-port RAM can be done with the higher speed.

Although this invention has been described specifically in reference to the illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that this invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and that various modifications may occur within the scope of this invention.

As shown in FIG. 22, writing data may be supplied to an output latch circuit 6.

This invention is not limited to a 2-port RAM; if a memory cell shown in FIG. 23 is used, this invention can be applied to a 3-port RAM, and, furthermore to a multi-port RAM that has more than three ports.

When a port RAM is constructed by using memory cells shown in FIG. 23, such a circuit construction as shown in FIG. 24 can be used as an address accordance detector. An address accordance detector shown in FIG. 24 is to discriminate, relating to the first reading port, the accordance of a reading address and a writing address for each corresponding bit by using an exclusive OR circuit 60, and the accordance of each bit is decided with a NOR gate 61. In the same manner, the accordance of a reading address and a writing address relating to the second reading port, is discriminated for each corresponding bit by using an exclusive OR circuit 62, and the accordance of each bit is decided with a NOR gate 63. The results decided by both the NOR gates are processed by an OR logic 64, and then processed with a writing clock signal CEW by using a NAND logic 65 so as to form a detecting signal AC.

The present invention is not limited to the above mentioned embodiments from FIG. 1 to FIG. 24. For example, in the static RAM shown in FIG. 5, word lines from W00 to W0m can be formed as shown in FIG. 25.

These subordinate word lines W1 to W4 are connected with the corresponding, inverted, main word lines W00' to W0m' through the corresponding word line driving circuits D1 to D4, that is, CMOS inverter circuits. The subordinate memory arrays SM00 to SM031 and subordinate column switches SS00 to SS031 (refer to FIG. 5) are constructed as a unit, and their numbers are selectively increased or decreased according to the bit construction of the clocked static RAM. In this case, address decoders can be integrated as a block corresponding to each subordinate memory array. Therefore, the clocked-static RAM of this embodiment decreases the loads relating to each inverted, main word lines w00' to W0m', and its operation becomes high-speed because each driving circuit D1, D2, D3 or D4 is used for each subordinate word line W1, W2, W3 or W4, and therefore a disconnection of main word lines owing to the electromigration can be prevented. The flexibility of bit construction and therefore system construction is improved because the subordinate memory arrays, column switches and address decoders are formed as a unit.

FIG. 26 shows an example of the construction of the common data lines. In the figure are shown a memory cell array 70, units of memory cell lines 71, decoders 72 to 74, a controller for writing 75, a sense amplifier 76, an output circuit 77, a common data line of the first class 78, a common data line of the second class 79, a common data line of the third class 80, data lines of single end type 81, and decoder output lines 82 to control Y switches. These are shown as Y-switch NMOS transistors Q80 to Q88 for the first class common data line 78, Y-switch NMOS transistors Q89 to Q92 for the second class common data line 79, and Y-switch NMOS transistors Q93 and Q94 for the third class common data line. Di is a data input signal, and Do is an output signal. A decoder 72 is the decoder for the first class A, a decoder 72 is the decoder for the second class B, and a decoder 74 is the decoder for the third class C. If the capacity of memory is 16K bits in FIG. 26, the number of the above mentioned memory cells will be 54. Sixteen common data lines of the first class 78 are formed when they are divided by using four Y-switches. Eight common data lines of the second class 79 are formed when they are divided by using two Y-switches. The common data lines of the third class 80 are connected with eight Y-switches. In order to select one from 54 memory cell arrays in the above mentioned construction, seven switches of the common data lines of the third class 80, a switch of the common data lines of the second class 79, and three switches of the common data lines of the first class 78, that is, eleven switches in all are open, and therefore a desired data line is connected with the common data lines of the third class 80. In this case, if only the common data lines of the first class are used, 53 switches should be made open so that the dielectric capacitance of the common data lines increases and therefore reading and writing processes are delayed. If common data lines are classified so as to construct a memory of large capacity, an increase of the dielectric capacitance of common data lines can be oppressed significantly.

Application of the inventive sense amplifier is not limited to memory.

FIG. 29 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a digital processing unit that uses a signal transmission system applied to the inventive sense amplifier. In FIG. 27 are shown circuit diagrams of embodiments of a bus driver and a bus receiver that are used for a digital processing device shown in FIG. 29; in FIG. 28 are shown signal waveforms of the embodiments of a bus driver and a bus receiver shown in FIG. 27. With reference to these figures, a brief description of the construction and operation of the digital processing system of this embodiment and the characteristics of the signal transmission system will be explained. Now, in FIG. 27, MOSFETs added with an arrow on the channel (back gate) are of P-channel type, and are distinguished from the N-channel MOSFETs without an arrow.

In FIG. 29, the digital processing system, although not specifically limited thereto comprises a processor unit PU and (n+1) memory units MU0 to MUn. Such a processor unit and memory units, although not specifically limited to a particular embodiment, are formed on one semiconductor substrate, for example, a single crystal silicon. As the result, the digital processing system is constructed as one chip of a large scale integrated circuit (VLSI).

Moreover, the digital processing system has two pairs of internal busses BUS-A and BUS-B. Each of these internal busses is, as shown in FIG. 27, constructed with two or more pairs of complementary signal lines, an output signal of the processor unit PU is transmitted to the memory units MU0 to MUn, and output signals of the memory units MU0 to MUn are transmitted to the processor unit PU, respectively. In this embodiment, amplitudes of a signal transmitted through internal busses BUS-A and BUS-B are limited to be a tenth, or a fifth or sixth of the absolute value of the power supply voltage of a circuit. As a result, inductive and capacitive power consumption of each internal bus is greatly decreased and therefore the lower power consumption is promoted in digital processing system. The above mentioned internal busses BUS-A and BUS-B may instead be an integrated one as two directional busses.

The processor unit PU and the memory units MU0 to MUn include, respectively, a bus driver BD and a bus receiver BR. Among them, a bus driver BD of the processor unit PU, as shown in FIG. 27, include (k+1) unit bus drivers UBD0 to UBDk corresponding to each of complementary signal lines D0, D0˜Dk, Dk of the internal bus BUS-A. These unit bus drivers, although not specifically limited thereto, include, respectively, P-channel precharging MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 that are connected between the power supply voltage of the circuit and the inverted or non-inverted signal lines D0 to Dk or D0 to Dk of each complementary pair of signal lines, and N-channel discharging MOSFETs Q11 and Q12 that are connected between the ground voltage of the circuit and the inverted or non-inverted signal lines D0 to Dk or D0 to Dk of each pair of complementary signal lines. Here, the power supply voltage of the circuit should be positive, for example +5V, although not limited thereto.

The gates of the precharging MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 are commonly connected and, although not limited thereto, are supplied with an output signal of an inverter circuit N3, that is, an inverted timing signal φpd. An input terminal of the inverter circuit N3 is supplied with a timing signal φpd from the timing generation circuit (not shown) of the processor unit PU. In this case, the timing signal φpd is selected to a high level when the internal bus BUS-A is not in an active condition, in other words, when a signal is not transmitted to the internal bus BUS-A. It is needless to say that an inverted timing signal φpd has the complementary level relating to the above mentioned timing signal φpd.

The gates of the discharging MOSFETs Q11 and Q12 are, without any particular limitation, supplied with output signals of the corresponding NOR gate circuits NOG1 and NOG2, that is, inverted internal signals dc0 etc. and non-inverted internal signals dc0 etc. One input terminal of the NOR gate NOG1 is supplied with an output signal of an inverter circuit N1 namely an inverted, internal output signal Do0, etc. The input terminal of an inverter circuit N1 is supplied with an internal output signal do0, etc. from the pre-stage circuit (not shown) of the processor unit PU. Here, the internal output signal do0, etc. are selected to a high level when the corresponding transmitting signal is of logic 1. It is clear that the inverted, internal output signal do0, etc. are the complementary signals of the above mentioned internal output signal Do0, etc. Moreover, the internal output signal do0, etc. are supplied to one input of the above NOR gate circuit NOG2. The other input of each of these NOR gates NOG1 and NOG2 is supplied with an output signal of a NAND gate NAG1, that is, an inverted timing signal φd0, commonly.

One input terminal of the NAND gate NAG1, having no particular limitation, is supplied with a timing signal φoe from a timing generation circuit (not shown in the figure). Here, the timing signal φoe is selected to be a high level, when the levels of the internal output signals do0 to dok are set up. The other input of the NAND gate NAG1 is supplied with an output signal of an inverter circuit N2, that is, an inverted, internal signal ld. The input terminal of the inverter circuit N2 is supplied with an output signal of a level decision circuit LD.

The level decision circuit LD, although not limited thereto, includes two P-channel MOSFETs Q3 and Q4 that are connected in parallel between the power supply voltage of the circuit and the above mentioned output node ld, and an N-channel MOSFET Q13 that is connected between the output node ld and the ground voltage of the circuit. The gate of a MOSFET Q3 is connected with the corresponding, inverted signal line D0, etc. of the internal bus BUS-A, and the gate of MOSFET Q4 is connected with the corresponding, non-inverted, signal line D0, etc. The gate of a MOSFET Q13 is supplied with the above mentioned timing signal φpd.

In relation to the above description and FIG. 28, when a signal has a non-inverted condition in the internal bus BUS-A and the timing signal φpd is of high level, the MOSFET Q13 of the level decision circuit LD is switched on and precharging MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 are switched on in the bus driver BD of the processor unit PU. Therefore, an output signal ld of the level decision circuit LD has a low level, and the inverted internal signal ld has a high level, and moreover the corresponding inverted signal D0 and non-inverted signal D0 of the internal bus BUS-A are altogether precharged to a high level (the first level), for example the power supply voltage VDD of the circuit.

Subsequently, the timing signal φpd is made a low level as shown in a cycle Cy.1 of FIG. 28, and at the same time, internal output signals do0 and so on are set to a logic 0, namely, low level. After a short delay, without any particular limitation, the timing signal φoe is made a high level.

As the timing signal φpd is made low level in the bus driver BD of the processor unit PU, the MOSFET Q13 of the level decision circuit LD is switched off, and therefore the precharging MOSFETs Q1 and Q2 are switched off, too. In this way, a precharging operation is stopped for each pair of complementary signal lines of the internal bus BUS-A. At that time, the MOSFETs Q3 and Q4 of the level decision circuit LD are both switched off, because the corresponding, inverted signal line D0, etc. or the non-inverted signal line D0, etc. are precharged to a high level. So the output signal ld of the level decision circuit LD remains low level until either the MOSFET Q3 or Q4 is switched on, and therefore the inverted internal signal ld remains high level

When the timing signal φoe is made high level a short delay after the timing signal φpd is made a low level, first the output signals of the NAND gate NAG1, that is, an inverted timing signal φd0 and so on are changed to a low level in the bus driver BD of the processor unit PU. As a result, output signals of the NOR gate NOG2, that is, a non-inverted internal signal dc0, etc. change to a high level because an internal output signal do0, etc. have a low level, and therefore the discharging MOSFET Q12 is switched on. In this way, the non-inverted signal line D0, etc. of the internal bus BUS-A are discharged, and the signal level begin to decrease.

When a level of the non-inverted signal line D0, etc. of the internal bus BUS-A becomes lower than the power supply voltage VDD of the circuit by the threshold voltage VTHP of a P-channel MOSFET Q4, the MOSFET Q4 is switched on. Therefore, an output signal ld of the level decision circuit LD is changed to a high level, for example the power supply voltage VDD of the circuit, and an inverted, internal signal ld has a low level. Therefore, the inverted timing signal φdo is changed to a high level, and a non-inverted, internal signal dc0, etc. changed to a low level. In this way, a discharging MOSFET Q12 is switched off, and the discharging operation to a non-inverted signal line D0, etc. is stopped wherein the level of a non-inverted signal line D0, etc. remains fixed approximately to the discharging level (the second level) that is lower than the power supply voltage Vdd of the circuit by the threshold voltage VTHP of the P-channel MOSFET Q4, until the next precharging operation is started.

As shown in a cycle Cy.2 of FIG. 28, when an internal output signal do0, etc. is made logic 1, namely a high level, the bus driver BD of the processor unit PU receives a timing signal φoe having a high level, and an inverted timing signal φd is changed to a low level, and then output signals of the NOR gate NOG1, namely an inverted internal signal dc0, etc., are changed to a high level. Therefore, a discharging MOSFET Q11 is switched on and the discharging operation begins in the inverted signal line D0, etc. of the internal bus BUS-A.

When a level of an inverted signal line D0, etc. of the internal BUS-A becomes lower than the power supply voltage VDD of the circuit by the threshold voltage VTHP of a P-channel MOSFET Q3, the MOSFET Q3 of the level decision circuit LD is switched on and the discharging operation to the inverted signal line D0, etc. is stopped. In this way, a level of the inverted signal line D0, etc. remains fixed approximately to the discharging level (the second level) that is lower than the power supply voltage VDD by the threshold voltage VTHP of the P-channel MOSFET Q3.

Now, a bus receiver BR of the memory units MU0 to MUn, although not limited thereto, includes (k+1) unit bus receivers UBR0 to UBRk, which are used for each of the complementary signal lines D0, D0˜Dk, Dk. These unit bus receivers are represented by a unit bus receiver UBR0 shown in FIG. 27. This unit bus receiver UBR0 has the same construction as the inventive sense amplifier shown in FIG. 1. Here, a timing signal φpr shown in FIG. 27 corresponds to the signal φsa of FIG. 1, and an internal signal ds0 of FIG. 27 corresponds to the signal Vout of FIG. 1.

Bus drivers BD in the memory units MU0 to MUn and a bus receiver BR in the processor unit PU have the same circuit construction as the bus driver BD in the processor unit PU and the bus receivers BR in the memory units MU0 to MUn, and have the same functions for two or more complementary signals that are transmitted through the internal bus BUS-B.

As described above, the digital processing system of this embodiment includes a processor unit PU, (n+1) memory units MU0 to MUn, and internal busses BUS-A, BUS-B that connect the processor unit and the memory units. The processor unit PU and the memory units MU0 to MUn include bus drivers BD and bus receivers BR corresponding to each internal bus, and each of these bus drivers and bus receivers has two or more unit bus drivers or unit bus receivers, which are set up corresponding to each complementary signal line of each internal bus. In this embodiment, each unit bus driver includes a P-channel precharging MOSFET which precharges a corresponding signal line to the power supply voltage of the circuit, an N-channel discharging MOSFET which, in a condition of signal transmission, discharges a corresponding signal line according to a logic level of a signal transmitted therethrough and a level decision circuit which stops the discharging operation when a discharging level of a corresponding signal line reaches a predetermined level. Each unit bus receiver includes a level shift circuit LS which gives a certain bias level to complementary signals transmitted through a corresponding signal line, and a sensing circuit SC which receives an output signal of the level shift circuit LS and has the maximum amplification at the above mentioned bias level. In this way, digital processing system of this embodiment can reduce amplitudes of signals transmitted to a tenth, or one fifth or sixth of the usual MOS level when the system is added with the above mentioned interface circuits, which are constructed with CMOS having a rather simple circuit construction. As described above, the AC power consumption PD of a bus is calculated by the following equation value if C is a value of a dielectric capacitance that is connected with the bus, and wherein V and f are an the amplitude and frequency of a transmitting signal, respectively. In this embodiment, an amplitude V of a signal transmitted is decreased to a tenth, or one fifth or sixth, and therefore the AC power consumption PD in the bus is decreased to a square of a tenth, or one fifth or sixth. Therefore, the digital processing system can promote low power consumption thereby diminishing a requirement for increase of an area required for layout.

Although this invention has been described specifically in reference to the exemplified embodiments, it will be understood that various modifications may occur within the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, in FIG. 27, a timing signal φoe supplied to the bus driver BD may simply be a selective signal. The level decision circuit LD that detects a discharge level of each signal line can be constructed, for example, with a differential amplifier, which compares a level of each signal line with a predetermined reference voltage. Signal lines that form each internal bus need not be complementary signal lines. In this case, it is effective, for example, that a predetermined reference voltage is supplied to the gate of a MOSFET Q15 or Q16 that is included in the level shift circuit LS of a bus receiver BR. In FIG. 28, an inverting signal lien D0 and a non-inverting signal line D0 may be discharged selectively when a transmitting signal has the reverse logic level and a precharging level of each signal line may preliminarily be set, for example, to the level where the sensing circuit SC has the maximum sensitivity. In this case, the level shift circuit LS of the bus receiver BR can be removed. Logic levels of each timing signal and their combinations are optional. In FIG. 29, two or more function blocks are implemented to construct a digital processing system of one chip as a large scale integrated circuit VLSI. However, these function blocks can be combined as individual large scale integrated circuits VLSI. In this case, BUS-A and BUS-B have the feature of an external bus. In either of the above mentioned constructions, BUS-A and BUS-B can be integrated as a two-directional bus. Furthermore, the specific circuit construction of a bus driver BD and a bus receiver BR shown in FIG. 27 and the block construction of the digital processing systems shown in FIG. 29 and FIG. 30 can be exemplified by various embodiments.